By Sarah Kehoe
skehoe@kentreporter.com
Park Orchard Elementary PE teacher Trudy Schug doesn’t just motivate students in the gymnasium.
Schug hosts about 10 low-cost summer camps for kids for Covington Community Sports, organizes family health nights, collects gently used shoes for low income children and holds free walk/run events for families. She researches health activities and programs she can use to educate young people about the importance of nutrition and physical activity.
“I strongly believe extra-curricular activities have the power of building a young person’s confidence, leadership skills and sense of belonging that will develop their character for the rest of their life,” Schug said.”I know how much being part of athletic teams, leadership groups and clubs played a part in who I am today and this is my chance to give that opportunity to young people in our community.”
Shrug’s efforts did not go unnoticed. She received the Molina Healthcare Community Outreach Education Award in October.
“Trudy embodies the spirit of the community champions we honor every year,” said Greg Smith, director of community outreach at Molina. “When her nomination came to the review board, picking her was a no-brainer.”
Around seven everyday heroes were honored for service and civic contributions. Each honoree received a grant to give to an organization of their choosing and a Molina Healthcare award trophy, named in honor of Molina Healthcare’s physician founder, Dr. C. David Molina.
“Molina Healthcare is pleased to honor everyday heroes in our community like Trudy Schug,” said Glen Bogner, president of Molina Healthcare of Washington. “Trudy’s dedication to the health and wellness of Kent School District’s students will make Washington’s next generation healthier and happier.”
Schug decided to give the grant to Covington Community Sports, a non-profit organization established in January 2007 to provide youth recreational sports programs for participants ages 2 to 14. Covington Community Sports was created by a trio of volunteers to fill a void left when the city of Covington eliminated youth sports programs due to budget cuts.
“The Molina Healthcare Community Champions Award is a great opportunity to shed light on some of the programs that are helping kids in Kent and the very generous grant money will help these programs reach even more people and youth in our community,” Schug said.
Covington Community Sports funds programs solely through registration fees, donations, sponsorship fees and grants.
Requests for scholarship assistance has continued to climb over the past 24 months, while donations, sponsorships and grants have declined.
So far this year, Covington Sports has provided over $5800 in scholarships to participants in the surrounding community.
“My students at Park Orchard Elementary, the many young people I coach through the Covington Sports program and my own children always seem to amaze me and exceed my expectations,” Schug said.”When you set the standards high and focus on attitude, they shine and it’s contagious.”
Reach Reporter Sarah Kehoe at 253-872-6600 ext. 5056.
