Echivarre enlightens students; earns rookie of the year

Every year, one CVHS teacher is chosen as rookie of the year for hard work and dedication. This year, the honor goes to P.E. teacher Boz Echivarre for teaching and supporting his students. 

Echivarre may be new to CVHS, but he’s already made a big impression. From teaching games and exercises to encouraging students to push themselves, he makes P.E. both challenging and rewarding. When he started as a substitute at Hayward High School, many of the staff there encouraged him to get his teaching credential. Soon after, Echivarre received a degree in kinesiology. 

“It’s really remarkable the science of how the body functions to do something as simple as walk, let alone perform other tasks, so I wanted to help share that knowledge and the benefits of good, correct and consistent exercise,” said Echivarre. 

Growing up in Pacifica, Echivarre remained active, playing football, baseball, and snowboarding. His parents encouraged him to explore a variety of activities, which set the foundation for his understanding of the benefits of physical exercise.

“I was blessed to have parents who encouraged me to play as many sports and activities as I could, so that’s what I did, which is really completely opposite of what I see these days, where kids just play one sport,” said Echivarre. 

One of the most important lessons Echivarre hopes his students take away from P.E. is the value of pushing through challenges, not only physically but mentally as well.

“I totally understand that students don’t like the fact that they have to run a mile in a certain time, perform a number of push ups, or something similar because it’s physically hard and sometimes mentally trying,” Echivarre explained. “My hope is that they do push themselves because the sense of accomplishing something that’s actually hard is really gratifying. Improvement isn’t a next-day thing, it’s something that occurs over time.”