Two Johnson State College students have recently been honored with the “Outstanding Future Professional” award, given by the Vermont Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. The association is more commonly known as VAHPERD. This is the first year in the history of the award that both students have come from the same college. The award honors academic achievement, professional involvement, services they provide to their community, professional potential, leadership qualities, and individual accomplishments. The recipients, Amanda Thomas and Scott Graner, both seniors and physical education majors, are pursuing their licenses to teach students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Karen Uhlendorf, a professor in the Environmental & Health Sciences department supports both of them in their endeavors and recommended them for the awards. “They both have experience as teachers, they’re both excellent students academically and very involved in the college and community world,” she said.

Graner and Thomas were recognized at the state VAHPERD conference in Killington and will be sent to the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Eastern District Association Convention in late February.

The convention will take place in Newport, R.I.

Graner has a black belt in martial arts and has competed in international competitions in China in 2002 and 2005, winning a gold medal and two silver medals in 2002 and a gold and silver in 2005. He has developed martial arts programs for the Stowe Recreation Department, the Swimming Hold fitness center in Stowe and Mount Mansfield Martial Arts.

Thomas has mentored students in reading as well as serving as an assistant at Mount Mansfield Martial Arts and Lamoille Union Middle School. She has worked at Camp Abnaki in Vermont and with a Head Start program in Maine. For the past two years, she has been president of the JSC Physical Education Club.