GROVELAND, Fla. — A co-worker nominated A+ Teacher Jimmy Conard and described him as a motivator whose positive energy is contagious.

Conard uses his physical education class at Cecil E. Gray Middle School to not only get his students moving but to also help them in the game of life.  

In coach Conard's class, it is all about moving and having fun. His students love playing creative games like Tomb Raider. 

"I want them to understand you don't need a lot of equipment to have fun. They don't want to run the track. It's boring, it's mundane, but this keeps them active and gives them break periods in between," he says.

Conard was nominated by a co-worker for the way he encourages his students too. 

Tyger Darden is one of his students who says, "He makes this place feel safe and fun and he just gives us all a chance to be who we are."

Another student Allye Holton says, "He helps everybody. He's kind to everybody." 

​Conard does a little bit of everything at the school. He tutors kids in math and even serves as the athletic director. 

He coached student athlete Darden's football team to a championship title. Darden says, 

"He's calmer. He doesn't scream and if we mess up he tells us it's just one mistake," Darden says.

That is a lesson Conard says he learned firsthand from his boss when he messed up on a construction job.

He explains what his boss asked him to do about it, "He says, 'You need to fix it. Find out if we can make a profit' and we ended up doing that. But I was honest about it and he gave me that chance to correct itself and learn from it and these kids need that same thing."