RUMFORD — The Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America) announced on December 16, 2024 that Mountain Valley High School Health Education Teacher Kristen Allen was selected as the Eastern District Health Teacher of the Year.

Kristen Allen Submitted

Kristen has taught health education at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford for more than 18 years.

“I want my students to be able to navigate life in a way that enhances their health and the health of those around them,” Allen said. “I want my students to remember that the skills they learned and practiced in my classroom, like decision-making, communication, and self-management, can be applied in the real world to improve relationships, manage emotions, and know where and when to go for help.”

Allen’s Eastern District Health Teacher of the Year journey began when she was named the 2022 High School Health Education Teacher of the Year by the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AHPERD).

All of the Maine AHPERD Teacher of the Year awardees are eligible to submit application materials for Eastern District Teacher of the Year. The Eastern District, one of SHAPE America’s five districts, includes all New England states, plus Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Allen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Community Health Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and her master’s degree in public health from the University of New England in Biddeford. In addition to teaching and coordinating extracurricular groups at Mountain Valley High School, Allen also teaches School Health Education courses at the University of Maine at Farmington.

“The choices students make each day eventually turn into habits and their lifestyle. Establishing healthy habits at a young age will not only lead to a longer life but a better quality of life,” Allen said.

“When one of our teachers is recognized on a national level, there is a strong sense of Falcon pride,” Thomas Danylik, the principal at Mountain Valley High School, said.

Danylik noted that Kristen builds strong relationships in her classroom, and students are drawn to her, with a desire to continue that mentorship outside of the classroom through extracurricular activities.

“This speaks volumes about the kind of teacher Allen is and how much respect our students have for her,” Danylik said.

Allen is now an official candidate for National High School Health Teacher of the Year. These awards will be announced at the SHAPE America Convention, scheduled for April 1-5, 2025, in Baltimore, Maryland.