Dr. Leah Robinson works with a preschooler during motor skills assessments.

Dr. Leah Robinson's most effective tools in positively influencing the lives of Auburn Day Care Centers preschoolers may be her ready smile and an effusive personality that encourages the children to match her own seemingly inexhaustible energy level.

"I'm a kid myself, so it's pretty easy to relate to them,'' said Robinson, who joined the Auburn University College of Education's Department of Kinesiology faculty in 2007.

Robinson's enthusiasm for fostering healthy lifestyle habits in young children may only be rivaled by their willingness to participate in any activity she leads. When Robinson made an off-campus visit to the Moton Center recently to lead its preschoolers in their weekly exercise program, Auburn Day Care Centers director Ethel White couldn't help but marvel at the hive of activity stirred up by her presence.

"We don't have any children sitting down,'' White said. "We don't have any children who are unhappy or who are bored.''

Robinson, whose research focuses on early childhood motor skill development, hopes that translates into a decrease in the amount of children who are unhealthy. She derives an immense amount of satisfaction from seeing a room full of 3- to 5-year-olds in a running, jumping frenzy because a consistent routine of such activities will shape healthier lifestyles in adulthood. While the Auburn University College of Education's partnership with the Auburn Day Care Centers positively affects preschoolers at the local level, Robinson's investigation of physical and motor competence among at-risk children could have statewide and national implications.

The National Association for Kinesiology and Physical Education in Higher Education recently named Robinson as the winner of its 2009 Hally Beth Poindexter Young Scholar Award. Robinson, the first Auburn University professor to be selected as a Hally Beth Poindexter Young Scholar, will receive her award and present her research on "Perceived Physical Competence and Actual Motor Competence in Children Who Are At-Risk'' at the 2009 NAKPEHE Conference to be held Jan. 4 to 6 in Sarasota, Fla. The Hally Beth Poindexter Young Scholar is selected through a blind review by leaders in the association and presented to one higher education professional in his or her first five years of work at the university level. The award is named after Dr. Hally Beth Poindexter, professor emeriti and former chair of the Department of Kinesiology at Rice University, who boasts more than 50 years of professional service.

Robinson said receiving such a prestigious award will inspire her to continue exploring the workings of the human body and seeking answers to some of the health issues plaguing pediatric populations. Through her involvement with the Department of Kinesiology's Motor Behavior Center, Robinson encourages children to be lifelong movers. She has worked with Drs. Mary Rudisill, Mark Fischman and Danielle Wadsworth to positively affect the wellness of young children from rural, underserved areas. According to recent data released by the state, 18 percent of Alabama's young children are classified as obese. The percentage has risen each year and has grown to include an especially high number of African-American children in Alabama's rural counties.

"All of my research is dealing with populations who are in need or are at-risk,'' she said. "I really want to help those who are underserved, who need the work and the assistance and the support. That's something that drives me in working with the kids at the Moton Center and other day care centers. They (the children) look forward to seeing me and they're actually learning from me being there, but I'm learning from them too.''

"Any time I see a kid improve in terms of their skill development or engaging in more physical activity, that is encouraging. It might be a small group that I'm working with and making the change in now, but hopefully as my research and lab continue to grow, we can hit larger populations of kids.''

Robinson credits her Auburn colleagues, including Rudisill and Fischman, for providing her with valuable mentorship. Of course, it's not uncommon for Robinson to inspire more senior faculty members. Since arriving at Auburn, Robinson has received the College of Education's Outstanding Faculty Early Career Award for excellence, research and outreach and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance's Young Professional Award.

Rudisill, a Wayne T. Smith distinguished professor and head of Auburn's Department of Kinesiology, said Robinson's acclaim as a scholar stems from her blend of energy and authenticity. Rudisill said Robinson is sincere in her desire to improve the lives of Alabama's children by encouraging them to be more physically active and educating their parents about risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other serious health issues.

"I think she's so effective because she's so genuine,'' Rudisill said. "She genuinely cares about the children she's working with and she really wants to help advance them and help them meet their full potential. What's really driving Leah is she wants to bring about positive change.''

White has already seen that change taking place in the Auburn Day Care Centers' classrooms and playgrounds, where Robinson and her colleagues have devoted so much time and energy to the cause of strengthening the physical and cognitive skills of local children.

"She has developed a special bond with our teachers and our families,'' White said. "She has become an integral part of our program by reaching out to families in times of need and reaching out to children. She has taken the time to become aware, through her research, of their needs and their special situations. She has added an extra service to our program and is teaching children the value of exercise and fitness and helping them to develop a healthy lifestyle.''