Mr. Kozak's Webpage

I was born in Mount Clemens, MI on January 10, 1977.  As a child, I mostly grew up in northeastern Michigan near the city of Alpena.  I graduated from Alcona High School in 1995, where I than attended Alpena Community College for two years.  I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play on the 1996-1997 Alpena Community College basketball team.  After receiving my Associates Degree I continued my education at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.  I graduated in May of 2001 with a Bachelor's Degree in Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, with a minor in Nutrition.  I then decided to return to school the following year to fulfill the requirements of a teacher certification.  I attended Saginaw Valley State University from August of 2001 to December of 2003.  My teacher certification major was Physical Education, Health & Recreation, with a minor in General Science.  Currently, I am a Wayne State University graduate student with a focus in the Pedagogy of Physical Education. 

My first teaching assignment was a long term substitute teaching position at Hamtramck High School.  I taught high school Earth Science for the second semester of the 2003-2004 school year.  I was hired into the L'Anse Creuse Public Schools in the spring of 2004 and have been here ever since.  I am very glad to be a part of the L'Anse Creuse Public Schools system, and I am happy to call it my home. 

Throughout my life I have always enjoyed all different types of physical activities.  I like to participate in, as well as spectate, any sport at any level.  Basketball, in specific, has been a huge part of my life since I was a little boy.  It has brought me many great opportunities and lifelong friendships.  Some new endevours that I have more recently been exposed to are hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, rock climibing, skiing, and snowboarding.  Each of these activities are great life-long recreational activities that offer a wonderful way to get out and enjoy the outdoors, individually and with others.  I have also recently been introduced to the up and coming sport of adventure racing!

I believe physical activity and health are of ever increasing importance in today's society.  Our nation is becoming more and more obese as each year passes and there is more need now than ever for intervention.  Physical education has great potential at having positive influences on the health of our youth.  My goal as a physical educator is to have positive impacts on as many children's lives that I possibly can.  I enjoy watching children grow socially, mentally, and physically.  Physical education is the content area that allows for tremendous growth in all three of the domains.

Last summer, my wife and I had the opportunity to fly in a helicopter onto Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska.  This is a picture of me trekking around on top of the glacier.  It was our first taste of basic mountaineering.