Mario Reyna
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The Well-Rounded Child: A 40-Year Legacy
Mario Reyna built a career transforming the lives of thousands of students in Texas. Over seven consecutive years, his leadership and passion helped all 30 eligible campuses of McAllen Independent School District earn national recognition as “America’s Healthiest Schools.” Mario made it all the way to the White House in 2014 to be honored for his accomplishments creating innovative wellness and physical education initiatives for 40 years.
Mario proudly identifies as a Hispanic-American and attributes much of his lifetime dedication to “paying it forward” to his Mexican family values. “I wholeheartedly believe in the total development of the child. The more children are well-rounded in mind, body, and spirit, the more productive citizens they will be as adults,” explains Mario. Mario has extended this same vision of health to his staff, at one point earning the most “healthy points” statewide in the It’s Time Texas Community Challenge.
“Equity, diversity, and inclusion are big words in my DNA,” says Mario, who has made it his legacy to implement actionable EDI measures on behalf of organizations he’s served and represented, including Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America), Texas Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (TAHPERD), and the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame.
“As I retire, I want to encourage all adults to serve as healthy ambassadors to all stakeholders that are in position to impact a healthier generation,” says Mario.