It all began when Ms. Ybarra started running cross country in high school.  As a results, she fell in love with sports. When she got to college, she knew that she wanted to learn more about exercise. At Penn State University she majored kinesiology, the study of movement. She then went to Azusa Pacific University and got her master’s degree in physical education, as well as her teaching credential.  She began her career at a charter school near LA.

“I taught middle school PE. It was a little bit different than this school [and] it was fun, but I’m happy to be here. I like this school better for sure,” she said.

Ms. Ybarra’s favorite part about being a PE teacher is her time spent with the kids.  She enjoys running and exercising with them during class activities and games. “I don’t think there is anything better than that,” she said.

PE is important to Ms. Ybarra, because when you are older, you might be able to apply some things that you learn here and now in PE to your life later on.

“Whether you need to lose weight or eat better, you’ll have all these resources because you learned them here and now.”

Someone that she really looks up to is her sister, Alex, who is 3 years older than her. She’s the person Ms. Ybarra goes to for advice.

“She’s older, so she has lived more than I have. She is really wise, so she is the person I go to when I’m having a good day or a bad day because she makes me feel better. We weren’t close until I got to college. That’s when I called her and e-mailed her.”  

Ms. Ybarra loves working with the kids. She says that there is nothing better than to be able to teach. It sounds like she got her dream job.

“You have to love working with kids if that’s your passion. Whether you teach PE, or math, or English, there is nothing better than to be able to teach.”