Jordan Chiles Tests Her Skills As a Physical Education Teacher on ‘Celebrity Substitute’

The Olympian and SI Swimsuit model joined Julian Shapiro-Barnum’s YouTube series to teach a lesson to elementary school children in New York.

Julian Shapiro-Barnum and Jordan Chiles / Courtesy of Sophie Schwartz

Jordan Chiles is SI Swimsuit’s newest featured athlete, and the two-time Olympian is also testing her abilities as a physical education teacher—at least on the newest installment of Julian Shapiro-Barnum’s YouTube series, Celebrity Substitute.

In the brand-new episode, released today, Chiles visited P.S. 9 in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, where she swapped roles with the school’s gym teacher, Mr. Vasquez, for the day. During her lesson plan, Chiles. 23, discussed the importance of health and fitness before leading the children through an Olympic workout and concluding with helping the kids making their own exercise video.

Chiles, who earned a silver medal during her Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2021, was also part of the gold medal-winning U.S. women’s gymnastics team during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Additionally, she is an all-around Winter Cup and Pan American Games champion who has won two individual NCAA titles with UCLA, so her credentials where athletics are concerned are beyond impressive.

Jordan Chiles on ‘Celebrity Substitute’ / Courtesy of Sophie Schwartz

Before they got started, the kids asked Chiles a series of questions, including how she learned to tumble and whether or not she was scared during her Olympic debut. Then, the Olympic workout included a series of push-ups, stretches and sprints, including plenty of zany antics from the kids.

“I honestly have no words right now,” Chiles told Shapiro-Barnum. “That was chaotic. I tried to get them to listen, I tried to get them to do everything. Teaching is very hard.”

The Oregon native got back out there and moved on to the exercise video portion of the lesson, in which she and one student first demonstrated the splits. Chiles and another kiddo then practiced jogging in place, before another child hilariously provided a lesson on the importance of staying hydrated. Weightlifting, balance and basketball dribbles were also covered.

Jordan Chiles on ‘Celebrity Substitute’ / Courtesy of Sophie Schwartz

At the end of the episode, P.S. 9’s Amazon wishlist was fulfilled, equipping the students with brand new gymnasium equipment, including balls and gymnastics mats.

Celebrity Substitute premiered earlier this fall on YouTube, and has also featured star guests like Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh. Tune in to the full episode with Chiles here.

Just yesterday, Chiles was announced as SI Swimsuit’s newest athlete. She will make her brand debut in the 2025 issue, out next May, and the gymast was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla., for the feature. Check out a glimpse from behind the scenes during Chiles’s photo shoot here, and be sure to take a look at her first photo from the feature here.