The Missouri Society of Health and Physical Educators (MOSHAPE) recently selected two Northwest Missouri State University health and physical education students as its 2019 majors of the year.

Samantha Harris, a junior physical education major from Greenfield, Iowa, and Kolton Ginnings, a senior physical and health education major from Excelsior Springs, Missouri, were selected by MOSHAPE as majors of the year.

MOSHAPE is a statewide organization for professionals and future professionals in the field of health and physical education. MOSHAPE offers leadership and assistance to schools seeking to develop health and physical education programs and recognizes current or future health professionals for their achievements.

Ginnings and Harris were honored at the MOSHAPE convention awards banquet on Nov. 9 at the Lodge of the Four Seasons in the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri.

“MOSHAPE is an outstanding organization and many quality physical education teachers are part of this program,” Harris said. “I am honored to be selected as a physical education major of the year and represent a group of teachers that is passionate about helping students live healthy lifestyles.”

MOSHAPE also awards the Dr. Robert M. Taylor Professional Service Honor Award to outstanding administrators and professionals in health, physical education, dance and recreation.  Recipients of this award have been a member of MOSHAPE and SHAPE America, formerly AAHPERD, for five years and must be a current member.

Northwest alumnus Tyler Crawford, a physical education teacher at Siegrist Elementary in the Platte County School District, received this year’s Taylor Award.

The honors mark the third time since 2010 a Northwest instructor or alumnus has received the Taylor Award, while Ginnings and Harris are the seventh and eighth Northwest students to be selected as majors of the year.