PE: More Than Just Fun and Games

June 2026

Being the new kid in high school can be intimidating. Kamora Johnson faced that challenge five times. Fortunately she found belonging along the way, and now she is helping others feel included and valued.

When Johnson was 14 years old, her family moved to the Caribbean island of Antigua so that her dad could attend medical school. Two years later they moved to Washington, then Arizona, and then Georgia as her dad completed his training.

Johnson attended five different high schools amidst all the moving. At each new school she joined sports teams “because they helped me make friends and find belonging,” she says. Those positive experiences inspired her to major in physical education teaching and coaching at BYU “to help students experience the same sense of belonging that sports gave me.”

One thing Johnson loves about the David O. McKay School of Education is the focus on Jesus Christ as the Master Teacher. “Studying His example has strengthened my testimony that teaching is a sacred opportunity to serve and uplift others,” she says. “As I try to love my students the way Christ loves them, He helps me know how to serve and teach them.”

In addition to student teaching, Johnson participated in mentored research with one of her professors, Dr. David Barney. “Through this research,” Johnson says, “I have learned how important it is to truly know and care for each student as an individual so they feel they belong. . . . I have come to deeply value the power of education and the opportunities it creates to change lives, open doors, and help individuals reach their full potential.”