Graphic created by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com

LAHS English Teacher Lori Thompson

By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladailypost.com

Los Alamos High School English Teacher Lori Thompson is passionate about two things, literature and sports. While talking with shop teacher Scott Pomeroy and several of the LAHS coaches about how to interest students who hate English classes, the idea for her new class, Literature and Composition in Sports, was born.

“There’s so much in sports culture to read and write about,” Thompson said. “The goal is to get students to read and write about something they are interested in.”

Thompson was a three-sport athlete in high school and is certified to teach both English and physical education. She has led the summer PE program at the high school for several years. She’s been playing sports since she was five.

“It makes perfect sense for me to teach this class,” she said.

Thompson is brimming with ideas for the new course, which will be available for sophomores and juniors this fall. It has been approved for English core credit at LAHS and also by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“One idea is to have students go to a game and write it up as a sports journalist would,” she said. “One idea is to have the class interview seniors who play sports. We’ll have speakers and fieldtrips, too. The class will be project-based. We’ll read good sports writing, both fiction and non-fiction.”

The Los Alamos Daily Post will partner with Thompson to publish some of her student’s work. They’ll have the opportunity to visit the newsroom and talk with sports writers and photographers at the paper. Thompson shared her favorite sports quote from Olympic swimmer turned writer and speaker, Mark Tewksbury.
“Sports has the power to transcend culture, nationality, religion and values … in short differences of all kinds. It breaks down barriers and builds bridges.”

Students can sign up for the class when registration begins in February.

“I can’t wait!” Thompson said.