Bobby Smith Celebrates 50 Years at Punahou
If there were a shortlist of lives well-lived, Bobby Smith would surely be on it. For over 50 years, Bobby has been a beloved PE teacher at Punahou, impacting the lives of many students – by one estimation, more than 17,000! But longevity alone doesn’t explain why he is often referred to as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) by his former students, or why Punahou faculty and staff gave him an emotional standing ovation at the most recent Aloha Ceremony for employees at the Chapel.
To understand Bobby Smith is to recognize what a life of service looks like. Guided by his faith and values, he has helped generations of Punahou students to listen well, try their best, win humbly, lose graciously, and always be kind and grateful. Outside of school, he is equally dedicated to improving the lives of those around him, always quietly and without fanfare.
On any given weekend, you might find him organizing a food drive for homeless through the River of Life Mission, something he has done for the past 29 years; feeding children at Pālama Settlement; or counseling prisoners at the Federal Detention Center near the airport. And somehow, without fail, he still finds time to play the doting grandfather, spending every Sunday with his two grandchildren, Jude ’30 and Isabella ’33, taking them to church, then breakfast and shopping.
Smith, who turned 78 on May 2, shows no signs of slowing down. The country boy from Waialua, who fell in love with sports as a boy and never looked back, recently sat down with the Punahou Bulletin to discuss his remarkable career and what inspires him to keep going.
What inspired you to become a physical education teacher in the first place?
I always felt comfortable in a sports element. It blended well with my coaching in football, track and canoe paddling. There are so many life lessons and gems that can be gleaned from physical education: Building one’s confidence, helping one another, being humble when winning, gracious when losing, playing fairly – sportsmanship. In PE you can teach those things.
What are the most rewarding aspects of teaching physical education, and what keeps you motivated after all these years?
Every teacher wants to see their students grow and develop in a positive and meaningful way. I get the chance to do that and to see that every day. To see a student just a little more confident when they leave that day. As a teacher, I am constantly aware of and continually commenting on my students’ effort, their kindness, being grateful – all the positive traits I wish for them to carry on later in life. I go into class and I’m always looking for these things, just so I can say to a student “That was kind.” It’s motivating for me to have a brand-new day each day and to be able to teach it all over again.
Outside of teaching, you’ve dedicated your life to helping those less fortunate. What drives you?
It came out of Vietnam. Being a marine, it was a tough time. I reflect on it every night that I am home, and a lot of my fellow marines didn’t make it home. I didn’t want to waste my life. So, when I came back and saw that fellow veterans were on the street, I knew something needed to be done and that’s what prompted me to start helping. At the River of Life Mission, we buy enough food for 250 – 275 meals for homeless people. I often do the shopping, drive it down, and organize around 22 volunteers to cook and serve the food.
You also work with prisoners to help them get back on their feet?
Yes, for 29 years I’ve been going into the prison to do a weekly Bible study. I started with the maximum-security roughest guys. I go in there with the faith that maybe a man can change his life. It’s my small way of helping, but lives have changed. One former prisoner now helps me at the River of Life, and his life has turned around.
Back to teaching, what are some of the most significant changes you’ve witnessed in physical education and teaching methods over your five decades of experience?
One would be the introduction of SHAPE (Society of Health and Physical Education), which provides PE standards in curriculum and instruction and gives PE teachers a framework that ensures consistency and national standards, like Math or English. We always did a great job, but now we have national benchmarks for the past decade. The other is the evolution of fitness, which has gone from basic running and free weights to machine weights, Peloton, dance and yoga. Today, there are many more modalities or programs one can follow to achieve fitness.
In your opinion, what role does physical education play in the overall development of students, both academically and personally?
PE plays a vital role in enhancing cognitive function and academic performance. Studies have shown that students who participate in regular physical activity exhibit better concentration, memory retention, and problem-solving abilities. The opportunities to learn socially acceptable behaviors are limitless, especially when involved in cooperative or competitive settings found often in games played in PE class.
What challenges have you faced as a physical education teacher, and how have you overcome them?
Today’s kids are more sedentary than ever, due in large part to the enormous amount of time spent on phones, computers and engaging with social media. It is important to impress upon my students the health benefits found in PE. Cardiovascular activities can be repetitive and boring, which may enforce negative feelings about PE. So, it is important to make PE games engaging and fun, to incorporate physical fitness into our games rather than make them separate. They are getting the exercise in the games. Make it fun.
What advice would you give to new teachers, particularly PE teachers, who might be just starting out in their careers?
Go in each day with the firm belief that you can have a profound and positive impact on kids’ lives. It can come in impressing on them the importance of lifelong fitness for their health or in the positive relationship values which will carry them far in interacting with others.
Any last bits of wisdom for the rest of us?
Begin with gratitude. I always tell my students to always be grateful and it drives me each day. If you find something to be grateful for, even in a difficult situation, you’ll be fine, you’ll keep moving ahead. I feel very lucky that Punahou hired me. In short, that’s how 50 years go by – being grateful and having fun.
– By Robert Gelber ’92
