Queen Creek resident Toni Chilton, physical education teacher at Highland Junior High in Gilbert, was honored this week with the 2021 Middle School Teacher of the Year Award during the Arizona Health and Physical Education convention in downtown Phoenix.
"I think I am in shock," said Chilton, a past president of Arizona Health and Physical Education. "I am surrounded by so many amazing PE teachers and just to be nominated was an honor. But, to actually be awarded teacher of the year, I am very humbled."
Chilton has been teaching physical education at Highland Junior High in the Gilbert Unified School District for the past 20 years. For 18 of those years she teamed with Lynn Preble, also a past president of Arizona Health and Physical Education, to teach students at Highland Junior to live active lifestyles now and into their adult years.
"Seeing Toni win and finally be recognized for all the work and passion she puts into her program to help kids learn to enjoy movement and being fit was so rewarding," Preble said. "She very much deserves it and represents the best of our profession."
A native of England, Chilton spends her time outside of the classroom living up to the healthy life skills she teaches her students, as she enjoys hiking, competing in Arizona Tough Mudders and more.
"Toni is always working to implement best practices and works hard to create fun and creative lessons to provide various opportunities for her students," said Dr. Jennifer Houston, president of Arizona Health and Physical Education (AzHPE), who presented Chilton with the Middle School Teacher of the Year Award on Nov. 2 at the AzHPE Honor and Recognition Awards dinner at the Children's Museum of Phoenix.
AzHPE provides leadership through continuing professional development and advocacy that ensures effective delivery of evidence-informed school physical education and community-based physical activity programs that foster healthy, active and physically literate youth. This was their first in-person annual downtown Phoenix convention since being forced to go viral last year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
