During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ben Kenerson, a physical education and weightlifting teacher, has taken online learning to the next level. 

“I really just try and give the students a reason to watch. It’s like watching TV. I don’t want them to change the channel because they are uninterested,” Kenerson said.

Kenerson’s daily videos are beyond informative; they are truly entertaining. Not only do his own students tune in every day for his daily lessons but also their friends and family. JHS teachers are appreciating them as well. Kenerson shares some of his video lessons on Facebook, and teachers are commenting that they are the best part of the school day.

Kenerson has been a teacher at Jupiter High for a total of 12 years. He took a break after five years, taking a position at Seminole Ridge High School for seven years, but he eventually returned to his alma mater. Kenerson is a Jupiter High graduate, class of 1995. 

After his time at Seminole Ridge, Kenerson returned to Jupiter as an ASD Resource Teacher, supporting students on the autism spectrum. He was dedicated to helping students who may struggle in school or who prefer alternative learning methods. When a P.E. job opened up, he was reluctant to leave his position, but he always had a passion for health and weightlifting and hoped he could merge the two jobs.

“I enjoy teaching weightlifting because it’s a subject that I feel I am knowledgeable in and love to do,” Kenerson said. “When I graduated from college, I started coaching football as a volunteer in the summer at JHS and really enjoyed seeing the kids take the information I was giving them and apply it on the field. That is what really gave me the confidence to pursue a job as a teacher.”

A fan of fitness, the transition to online learning on March 31 proved a unique situation for Kenerson, who loved teaching in-person strength classes on campus, but he persisted in keeping his students engaged and informed in his class, even online.

“It’s not ideal, but in life, you have to learn how to adapt and overcome the best you can,” Kenerson said.

Kenerson’s students enjoy his daily video lessons because he not only teaches the basics of fitness but also incorporates his family and props. His video assignments typically consist of watching the lesson, working out and answering questions based on the lesson.

 “I like how he finds a way to be creative while keeping us in shape,” junior Keagan Humphrey said. “They’re entertaining, and I like how he gets his family involved.”

Kenerson’s ultimate goal is to keep his students educated, but he hopes to also keep them entertained.  

“I want them to be thinking, ‘well I can’t look away because I might miss what he’s going to do next,’” Kenerson said.