Welcome to Central District
Central District is one of five SHAPE America districts, dedicated to serving members and furthering the purposes of the organization within the following states:
Colorado,
Iowa,
Kansas,
Minnesota,
Missouri,
Nebraska,
North Dakota,
South Dakota, and
Wyoming.
If you’re a SHAPE America member in one of the Central District states, we hope you’ll consider serving as a district volunteer! It’s a great way to get to know other health and physical educators in your region while developing leadership skills and serving the profession.
Contact Central District Director Megan McCollom for more information on how to get involved.
Central District Announcements
It is with deep sadness to share with you that our wonderful friend and colleague Dr. Elizabeth Bowles Sharp passed away on November 26th, 2024, after a long and courageous fight against cancer.
Elizabeth studied and taught in both Arkansas and Tennessee before moving to Colorado in 2011, where she became a professor of Kinesiology of Physical Education at Colorado Mesa University. In 2011 she started her journey as a board member of SHAPE Colorado, led the organization as president from 2015-16, and continued to serve until she moved back to Arkansas. Elizabeth brought passion, intelligence, wit, and insight into every aspect of our organization. From by-laws, to future professional leadership, convention planning and more, she guided our organization to new heights. Elizabeth thought nothing of driving almost 500 miles round trip with a car full of future professionals to attend SHAPECO meetings and conventions. She would get so excited to bring students to state and national conventions, giving them tools to be the best teachers possible. Her selfless leadership brought her recognition from SHAPE, though she never did anything for the recognition. Elizabeth always led from her heart.
Guiding future professionals was her passion. She would (internally) giggle when students called her Dr. Sharp, as she considered herself as a kid who loved to move and somewhere along the way became a pretty smart leader. As one former student shared, “Dr. Sharp basically raised me from a young wanna be PE Teacher, to the real deal. When I think of her, I see her big smile. And the joy on her face when she admired her students. And the joy in her voice when she talked about her sons. She was never one to give up easy - determined not stubborn. She had grit, and love, and joy! She loved her students, her family, basketball and Arkansas, budgets and being so good at time management and organized. Her life lives within so many people, so many lives crossed her path."
Elizabeth had so many wonderful qualities. She was the best of friends, a wonderful mother and wife, and a warrior. She fought her cancer with everything she possessed and never gave up. She was such an inspiration and now she is our angel. Elizabeth, we miss and love you.
Patricia Morrison
Donna Macias
Pam Ianni
Emily Graves
Central District Information & Activities
- Selects and honors Central District members through an annual district awards program;
- Uses social media (Facebook and Twitter) to raise visibility of SHAPE America, Central District, and the state affiliate associations within the district;
- Promotes SHAPE America’s health. moves. minds.® program within Central District;
- Advocates for health and physical education using resources from the SHAPE America Legislative Action Center; and
- Provides and promotes professional development opportunities within Central District.