From PISE Leader to Classroom Teacher: How Hilary Graham Builds Connection

By Limara Yakemchuk

Photo (Victoria Foundation Cover of Pulse Magazine 2017. Featuring Hilary Graham and children at PISE)

For Hilary Graham, the best part of working at PISE was never the equipment or the schedule, it was the kids. She remembers walking into local schools knowing the visit was a highlight for students and something they hadn’t experienced before. When she and her team walked out, they knew they had made a difference.

“It was a chance for them to have fun, move their body, make positive connections, and learn diff erent skills,” she says. The impact also reached beyond the gym. Hilary loved sharing PISE’s philosophy with teachers and staff , and later hearing how they kept the programming going after the team had left.

After a PISE session, the shift in students is visible. Hilary noticed they seemed happier, tired in the best way, and more grounded. Over multiple sessions, the change deepened. Students who usually dreaded PE started participating, enjoying themselves, and looking forward to the next visit.

Those students stand out most to her. Kids who don’t play team sports or have active hobbies are often the ones who shy away from PE or say they don’t like it. After PISE, they get excited to head to the gym. They feel proud of keeping up with classmates or of mastering a new skill. Hilary calls it amazing to reach students who might otherwise avoid PE because they feel they lack the skills.

Athletes benefi t too! They’re encouraged to slow down and refi ne their mechanics, and they may step into leadership or role model positions, building skills that support a healthy life.

PISE gives teachers extra support, a chance to see the curriculum in action, and on the job professional development that Hilary considers some of the best a teacher can ask for. Resources left behind make it easier to keep teaching PE with confi dence. Even after a program wraps, it sparks conversation and collaboration among staff , and it helps build a more positive atmosphere around PE across the school community.

Working at PISE helped Hilary discover what brought her joy: connecting with students through movement. Knowing she could leave a positive mark on even one person led her to teaching, where she hopes to do that on a larger scale.

She carries two core ideas into her classroom. The first is creating connection prior to skill building. It came naturally in her coaching days, but PISE made her more intentional, and now it’s her focus for the first month of every school year. The second is PISE’s emphasis on the building blocks of movement. Strong foundational skills help students succeed later and become well rounded, physically literate individuals.

Today, Hilary sees PISE programs in the schools where she works, and she’s proud every time. She hears students rave about their PISE leaders. She sees teachers who feel less confident in PE appreciate watching the program run with their own students, putting theory into practice right away.