Each year a panel from the California Community College Physical Educators Association gathers and decides who is awarded the outstanding physical trainer award from a pool of about 100 community colleges in California.

This year Cerritos College physical education instructor Deborah Jensen has been awarded the Outstanding Physical Trainer award for California.

Jensen has been working at Cerritos for 19 years and this is the first time she has won the award.

Jensen is humbled by her recognition, “I feel great. It’s an honor to be recognized by my peers throughout the state and I’m very grateful for the award.” According to Jensen, physical education is an essential aspect in the growth and development of the students at Cerritos.

Jensen’s organization throughout her career was a catalyst to her recognition. “I try to go to class organized everyday, I have a lesson plan all drawn up and the lesson plans are progressive so they get harder and harder as we go through the semester.”

Jensen says that her class is unlike most of the other classes on campus in that her classroom can range from the football field, the track, the basketball court, etc.

“I have a different kind of classroom than the traditional teacher and that allows me to talk to my students and ask them personal questions and get to know them,” she said.

Jensen went on to say that building good personal relationships with her students is essential in establishing their trust.

Zoology major Jeremiah Levy is enrolled in one of Jensen’s classes this semester. He is very thankful for the support Jensen has given to the class.

“I think she’s a great teacher. She does exercises that I haven’t even done before and they work really well.” Levy said that his goal in Jensen’s class is to build more stamina, so far he’s accomplishing it.

Dean of physical education, dance and athletics Dr. Daniel Smith is very proud to know that out of many, Jensen has been recognized.

“There’s over 100 community colleges in California that offer physical education. So obviously there’s a lot of potential people for this award.” Smith says that it is a real honor for Cerritos College to have the best physical education instructor in California on campus.

Smith said that there are many classes Jensen has provided for the student body on campus.

“She teaches fitness classes, she teaches a lectured course in women’s sports, she teaches a jogging class, she teaches a variety of physical education classes.” According to Smith, Jensen is the adviser for the Kinesiology Club, which is one of the many services she provides to students at Cerritos College.

Smith believes teachers that put fitness at the top of their concerns are very valuable to any educational institution.

Needless to say there are many teachers around California that value fitness, however, Jensen is very involved with her activities outside the classroom that also benefit the greater good of the student body at Cerritos College.

“The most important part of this award is the quality of teachers that they are. How knowledgeable they are about things like fitness, about being able improve their fitness level, to improve their health, to improve their quality of life,” Smith said.