Two members of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Health and Human Performance have in the past month won prestigious national and regional awards.
Carrie Neefe, a senior Health and Human Performance major with an emphasis in Physical Education Teaching, has become the third UW-Platteville student to win the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America Major of the Year Award. This is a national honor that recognizes exemplary undergraduate students for achievement in both academics and service in the fields of health, physical education, recreation, and dance. Neefe comes to UW-Platteville from Viola, Wisconsin and is currently student teaching at Westby High School. After graduating in May, she will go on to teach 6th, 7th, and 8th grade physical and health education at Webb Middle School in the Reedsburg Area School District.
"I am thrilled that Carrie is a recipient of the SHAPE Major of the Year Award,” say Tim Swenson, chair of the Department of Health and Human Performance. “She embodies the true spirit of this award and what it means to be a highly effective pre-professional. She is passionate in her role as a physical educator and truly embraces the notion that physical and health education involve all dimensions of wellness. I couldn't think of a more deserving student than Carrie!"
A second award winner, who also happens to be Neefe’s academic adviser, is Susanna Swenson. Swenson is a long-standing instructor in the Department of Health and Human Performance and has been awarded the Wisconsin Health Educator of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Health and Physical Education (WHPE) Association. This award is presented to an individual whose primary responsibility is teaching health education in public or private school, grades K-12, an institution of higher education, a community health program, a government health agency, or a worksite wellness/health program. With this award, Swenson is qualified to be nominated for the Midwest Health Educator of the Year Award through SHAPE America.
Department chair Tim Swenson praises Susanna as a knowledgeable and respected educator in the field of health education. “Through her classes, students in our Physical Education emphasis are equipped with the knowledge and skills to teach skills-based health education. Susanna is innovative in her approach to teaching health content as well as instructional strategies - our program and students are lucky to have her." Swenson will receive her official award at next year's WHPE convention in October.