Coy earns student of the month

Coy, a health and physical education major, took an interest in physical education while working at a Boys and Girls Club in Lake Wales near his hometown in Central Florida.

“I was attracted to physical education and health when I helped out at the Boys and Girls Club in Lake Wales. We taught them all kinds of sports and it was a great learning experience,” Coy said.

Coy was initially drawn to Chadron State to play football and further his education.  He has found great comfort in Project Strive/TRiO and specifically the staff, who are never afraid to lend a helping hand.

“Project Strive is great because they are always open. The staff doesn’t just treat you like a student and only worry about school. They worry about your academics, and your personal life,” Coy said.

Jennifer Schaer, director of TRiO, works with Kevin regularly. She says no matter what the day brings, Coy is always optimistic.   

“Kevin is an excellent student and when he comes into the Strive offices he is always smiling.  He will come in and share the good days and also the bad days.  On the bad days, when he leaves, he leaves with a smile,” Schaer said.  

Of the classes Coy has taken so far, he said Donna Ritzen’s Teaching Individual and dual sports as being his favorite.

“In that class she taught us the importance of properly explaining and teaching games. The class itself was hands-on and fun, but I also learned a lot of skills that I can use in the real-world,” Coy said.

Last year Coy a football injury, but has recovered to be one of the main tailbacks for the Chadron State football team this season. Schaer says Coy’s knack for pushing himself is evident in the classroom too.   

“He did not let is injury get him down and he used this experience to come back to be stronger and more determined.  Kevin has aspirations to be a PE teacher and coach and he pushes himself in the classroom to learn, grow and discover new ideas and techniques that will help him in his future career,” Schaer said.

While Kevin stays busy on the football field and in the classroom, he still has time for another one his passions: part-time barber.

“I cut all kinds of hair, but mainly mo-hawks and fades or anything done with clippers. I don’t do scissors. ‘Come and get you a quality Coy cut,’ that’s my saying,” Coy said.