Wynn a finalist for Project Fit America Teacher of the Year

Melinda Wynn, above center, works with kids at Corbin Intermediate School during on Project Fit America activities.

Corbin Intermediate School is one of three area schools that has added the Project Fit America equipment and instituted the curriculum into its physical education classes and Melinda Wynn, one of the school’s PE teachers, has been named a finalist for Project Fit America’s All Star Teacher of the Year.

“She brings an energy to us that you have to see it to believe it,” said Corbin Intermediate School Principal Bill Jones of Wynn.

“Melinda has just taken it and run with it, literally,” he said.

Wynn is one of seven finalists for the award, the winner of which will be announced in January.

“The purpose and goal of this award is to identify and honor teachers with spirit, determinations, drive and creativity,” Project Fit America Executive Director Stacey Cook said in a letter announcing Wynn’s nomination.

Wynn, who was raised in Corbin and graduated from Corbin High School in 1986, serves at the Assistant Coordinator for the Youth Services Center at Corbin Intermediate School.

Wynn noted that in traditional physical education classes, students typically participate in a variety of team sports.

Using the Project Fit America curriculum, the students are competing against themselves.

The school has outdoor equipment that was purchased and installed through a grant that Baptist Health Corbin obtained through Project Fit America in 2011.

The outdoor equipment includes: a pole climb, chin up bars, parallel bars, vault bar and horizontal ladder.

In addition, the school received weighted fitness hoops and fitness cups which may be used for explosive cardio, teamwork and other indoor activities.

“With Project Fit America every student has the opportunity to improve over whatever physical capacity they are at currently,” Wynn said.

“It also allows students that are very athletic and coordinated to excel,” she said. “They want to climb that pole one more time.”

Wynn said she was surprised when she learned she had been nominated, as she is not a certified teacher.

However, Wynn said she has seen the benefits of the program with all students and tries to instill her passion for it into them.

Wynn added that with the program also in the middle school, it helps that the students are part of it for four years from grades five through eight. The students may continue to see progress over that period which may instill in them a desire to continue once they reach high school and beyond.

Wynn said, ideally, the Project Fit America program would be added to the curriculum in the primary and elementary schools.

While the outdoor equipment is not available in a size for the primary school, Wynn said the hula-hoops and classroom materials could still be tailored for those students.

“It could make a difference by getting them to start having healthier eating and exercise habits at an earlier age,” Wynn said.