Winning the 2018 Locals Love Us award for Llano-area favorite school coach came as a complete surprise for Kingsland School physical education and art teacher Elias Montemayor. The eight-year veteran teacher said he loves working with kids and helping them reach their potential and greatly appreciates the community’s recognition. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton
KINGSLAND — Kingsland School Principal Meloni Puishes paused at the school’s front door as she was heading out in search of teacher Elias Montemayor.
“What is today?” she asked no one in particular. It was just to clarify her destination. “It’s Wednesday. Okay. He’s in art then.”
Puishes doesn’t have trouble keeping up with her staff, but Montemayor fills a number of roles.
“He wears many hats,” she explained.
It’s his role of physical education teacher/coach that caught the attention of The Picayune readers and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune listeners. They voted Montemayor as the 2018 Locals Love Us Llano-area favorite school coach.
“I’m surprised,” Montemayor said.
The eight-year veteran teacher was in the middle of art class when he learned of the award. Before he could really say much himself, the Kingsland School students started sharing how much they enjoyed learning from Montemayor, whether in art or P.E.
Montemayor understands the challenges with making sure kids get the right amount of physical activity. Electronic devices, TV, and other sedentary activities beckon. Montemayor aims to create a fun, exciting physical education class.
“I find lessons and what other people are doing, (and) modify them to make it fun,” he said. “I don’t want something that’s redundant.”
Montemayor said if kids do the same physical activity over and over, they’ll quickly get bored and look for something else to do.
“So I make things different, change it up,” he said. “They’re getting the cardio and physical activity, but they just don’t know it’s exercise. It’s just fun.”
Don’t tell his students. We don’t want his secret to get out.
daniel@thepicayune.com
