FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Dave Hinman - 2010 AAHPERD Jump Rope For Heart Coordinator of the Year Award Winner
Dave Hinman of Los Lunas, New Mexico has been named as one of two AAHPERD Jump Rope For Heart Outstanding Coordinators of the Year. Dave is the NMAHPERD executive director, and currently teaches at Sundance Elementary in Los Lunas, New Mexico. A 1981 graduate of Springfield College, Dave has been teaching for 29 years. He later went on to complete his master of science at the University of New Mexico, and in 2001 Dave became a National Board Certified teacher in early and middle childhood physical education. He has been with the Los Lunas school system since 1989.
Dave's involvement in Jump Rope For Heart (JRFH) and Hoops For Heart (HFH) began in 1983 at Bales Elementary in Milford, New Hampshire as a way to educate children about the components of health-related fitness. After coordinating two events in New Hampshire, Dave and his wife Laurie moved to New Mexico. In the years since, he has been involved in every aspect of the JRFH program including coordinating 23 JRFH/HFH events in New Mexico. Dave served two four year terms as NMAHPERD JRFH state coordinator. During the early 1990's Dave served as Southwest District JRFH coordinator and on the Joint Projects Committee, representing the Southwest District. His work contributed to the development of the first generation of JRFH skill videos as well as working with Sunflower Graphics on the "Thank You Gift" structure.
In 1986, while at Manzano Day School in Albuquerque, Dave started the New Mexican Jumping Beans rope skipping team. The team promoted JRFH and healthy living for a dozen years in New Mexico and nationwide. In 1994, Dave was awarded the NMAHPERD Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award. At that time, Bill Blair, nominating committee chair said, "More people know this guy for his work with JRFH than for his teaching." At Dave's JRFH/HFH events over the years, a few thousand students have raised in excess of $75,000. Dave uses the JRFH program as a logical extension of the Los Lunas Physical Education curriculum as he teaches health-related fitness concepts.
From 2001-2002 Dave was invited to serve on the local American Heart Association Board. This capacity allowed him to meet the professionals in Albuquerque who volunteer time to promote the mission of The American Heart Association. The board consisted of doctors, specifically cardiologists who make a living treating people who do not have the knowledge to make good lifestyle choices. Dave was the only one on the board who was in a position to teach young people to make lifestyle choices so as to avoid having to meet one of those cardiologists. This leadership opportunity allowed him to speak at length about the educational piece of JRFH/HFH as well as being involved in some fundraising efforts, like the Heart Ball, in the wider Albuquerque community.
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Contact:
Caroline Taylor
ctaylor@aahperd.org
703-476-3429
AAHPERD, an alliance of five national associations, six district associations, and a Research Consortium, provides its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support, and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. It is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, recreation, fitness, dance, health promotion and all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. AAHPERD serves 22,000 members and has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington DC. To learn more, visit www.aahperd.org.