Ms. Chavez brings passion to health and fitness

Andrea Chavez, the new physical education teacher at Clark Magnet High School, proudly said that it is her passion to teach and bring awareness to fitness, sports, nutrition, health, wellness, mindfulness and life lessons to students through physical activity. 

Prior to teaching, Chavez grew up in the San Fernando Valley and attended Grant HIgh School. She received an athletic scholarship to Arizona Western College in Yuma, for her first two years of college. After graduating, she  also received another athletic scholarship to attend the University of Texas at Permian Basin in Odessa, Texas and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology and moved back home to California. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree at CSUN.

Chavez was a substitute teacher and then earned her teaching credential; this is her second year of teaching. “I love teaching about ways to take care of yourself to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life,” Chavez said. Her hobbies include anything that incorporates being active. She enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family. 

“Teaching physical education gives me the opportunity to motivate, inspire and help students understand that physical education contributes to the development of a person” she said. Chavez believes that every student has the right to basic knowledge of how to care for themselves, and to maximize the potential of their mind, body and spirit. 

“I enjoy Ms. Chavez’s class because she gives a good amount of homework and assignments,” said freshman Ani Zafarian. “She is very easy to talk to.” 

Chavez said that the transition from in-person PE to distance learning PE has been challenging. “My class is usually primarily movement-based. Which means we do a variety of physical activities in class.” Chavez said. She explained how it is hard to incorporate those activities while being safe.

Making the transition to online has put “fitness” at the forefront, Chavez said, as she wants her students to learn about various physical activities that can contribute to improving their overall health, not just “working out.”