The Massachusetts Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance has selected Rachel Vinton and Junichi Ash, both of Rutland, to receive 2023 MAHPERD Outstanding Future Professional awards.
Vinton, a senior at Springfield College, has been on the women’s basketball team for all four years and is currently team captain. She was named to the dean’s list in all her semesters at Springfield and most recently has been named CSC Academic All-District Team, and Academic All-Conference all four years of eligibility on the women’s basketball team.
Vinton is an active member on and off campus, participating in many clubs such as the PE Club, PE Mentorship Program, and the Student Athlete Leadership Team along with volunteering at MAHPERD conferences. She plans to continue to better herself as a person and teacher by applying to the Athletic Leadership Master Program at Springfield.
Ash is a graduate student at Westfield State University. Last year, he graduated summa cum laude from UMass-Amherst with a bachelor of science in kinesiology, with a GPA of 3.968. After working as an EMT for UMass EMS and as a medical assistant for Cooley-Dickinson Hospital, Ash looks to become a teacher in physical education to promote physical activity among students and their families, to avoid the increased cost of health care and the prevalence of chronic disease.
Currently, he is treasurer of the Physical Education Club at Westfield State University. He has recently volunteered and attended the past MAHPERD convention and the inaugural summit for The National Academy for Health and Physical Literacy. He also volunteered at the Run Stanley event in Stanley Park in Westfield, and the Josh Thibodeau Helping Hearts Foundation 4 v 4 Soccer Tournament held at Wachusett Regional High School.
The award is given to undergraduate students in the fields of physical education and health to recognize outstanding contributions to their respective universities and communities. Students are nominated for this award by their professors. To be considered for this award students must attend a college or university in Massachusetts; must be an undergraduate majoring in Health and/ or Physical Education; be current members of MAHPERD, hold a minimum grade point average of 3.00 (4.00 = A); demonstrate academic achievement other than grade point average; participate in MAHPERD events (student council, attend and/or volunteer at MAHPERD conventions, etc.); be involved in university organizations; make contributions to their major department and community; demonstrate professional potential/leadership qualities and have received individual accomplishments/ honors/ awards.
