Crystal Colon steps in to save the day in PE and Health

Crystal Colon, a long-time paraeducator and coach, has a new job this year—as a long-term substitute teacher in physical education and health. In this role, she teaches Foundations of Personal Fitness; Unified PE; Net, Wall, and Target Games; Invasion Games; Health; and Child Development. 

“My job entails giving students information about health and also giving them a great experience in physical education,” she said. 

Colon has been working at ARHS for six years. “I love that I have supportive peers, and love that I connect with the students,” she said. A typical day for her involves “greeting students in the hallways, spreading love, and helping shape students’ high school careers.”

Colon was 25 when she decided to work in physical education. “It’s what I love doing,” she said. “I love being physical. I’m a physical person.”

This interest led her to coaching. When she coached youth basketball, she realized she could make more of an impact and decided that it was what she wanted to do professionally. She currently coaches JV girls’ basketball, on top of her substitute teacher job.

Her mission as an educator is to “touch as many lives as I can.”

 “I want to help students be successful, graduate, make them become their best selves, and prepare them for the future,” she said. 

Although Colon loves what she does for ARHS, she like everybody else, admitted certain challenges or fears. One of her biggest is public speaking. “I’m not used to speaking to a whole class,” she said. 

While coaching feels comfortable for her, teaching a whole class “was a big change,” and was difficult. Colon is learning how to get students to actively participate in class activities. She also has to learn multiple new curricula with very little time to prepare. 

Colon would like students and staff to know that she is “a woman of many hats,” she said. 

Before working in the ARHS district, Colon did residential group work, taking care of people with disabilities, and she worked at the YMCA. 

Some of her hobbies and activities include coaching basketball, playing basketball, working out, reading, and doing self-reflection. Colon is very excited about the future and new beginnings. 

Colon currently lives in Amherst although she was born in New York. “I moved around,” she said. She finished high school and middle school in Boston and continued to college where she majored in Communications and Production. 

Colon described her family and friends as very supportive. “They hold me accountable,” she said. She can go to them whenever she feels the need, “even if it’s to just chill.”