A total of 42 high school speech, debate, theatre and music teachers and coaches were selected as recipients of awards from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
The NFHS Speech, Debate, Theatre and Academic Association honorees included pair of individuals from Illinois. Reavis High School's Andy Davis and Elk Grove Village's Chuck Cavazos were both honored for their contributions to the arts. Read more on the award winners below:
Andy Davis
For 16 years, Andy Davis has taught music at Reavis High School in Burbank, Illinois. While at Reavis, Davis has helped choral enrollment increase from 25 to more than 100, and band enrollment from 45 to more than 200. It has also added a string orchestra, a guitar curriculum, and a music production curriculum. His students have earned Division I ratings of superior at numerous festivals over the years, including the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Organization Festival and the Midwest Music Festival.
Davis currently sits on the IHSA Music Advisory Committee and the IHSA Music Managers Committee, and he is a member of the National Association for Music Education. Davis has performed with numerous groups, including the Chicagoland Educator Orchestra, Windiana, the Tinley Park Community Band, and as a guest musician with the Air Force National Guard Band.
Davis earned his National Board Certification in 2017, and he was nominated for Grammy's Music Educator Award in 2014 (quarterfinalist) and again in 2020.
"Music educators like Andy leave everyone they come into contact with better, from individual students to their colleagues and communities," said Knoblauch. "This honor is a tribute to his commitment to music and passion that the arts should be a part of every student’s education.”
Chuck Cavazos
For more than 31 years, Chuck Cavazos has taught communications, composition and speech at Elk Grove (Ilinois) High School. His current efforts consist of teaching a dual credit college speech program, which is offered in partnership with Eastern Illinois University. Cavazos’ expertise in the area translates to his role as head coach of the Elk Grove speech team, which has garnered many awards at the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state finals.
When wearing his coaching hat, Cavazos’ successes date to 1988 when his Thornton (Illinois) won the IHSA State Championship in speech. Once the head coach at Elk Grove in 1990, his speech team earned a fourth-place finish in 1994. In 2009, Elk Grove captured the state title in Humorous Duet Acting under Cavazos’ direction, and had the 2016 and 2017 individual state champion in oratorical declamation. Elk Grove has hosted the IHSA regional or sectional tournament on numerous occasions, as well as the IHSA state finals in 2000.
Cavazos has served on the IHSA State Tournament Committee for more than 20 of his 30 years in coaching. He is also an Illinois Speech and Theatre Association board member, who been a strong advocate of speech and theatre through a number of workshops and activities.
“This recognition is a testament to the commitment, skill, and passion Chuck has for student activities," said IHSA Assistant Executive Director Susie Knoblauch. "We have been blessed here in Illinois to have him as a leader and champion for speech and performing arts."