In the fall of 1989, Dave Davis, an English teacher and head baseball coach at the time, began teaching Broadcast Journalism at Hillcrest High School without the benefit of ever having actually done any broadcasting. His print background in high school and college saved him. The students in those first two broadcast classes picked a format (monthly newsmagazine) and named the show (“HTV Magazine”) and 34 years later, stories “by teens, for teens” continue to be the focus at Hillcrest.

Students’ efforts have led to 15 Broadcast Pacemaker Awards, the national record for scholastic broadcasting, and 10 Robert F. Kennedy High School Journalism Awards, also a national record for high school broadcasts. The NATAS Mid-America Chapter has bestowed over 30 first-place production awards on HTV, and four segments from Hillcrest have received the national student award from the Television Academy.

Davis loves a good story, hates giving grades, enjoys British TV shows, is a life-long Cardinals fan, and believes experiences in broadcasting are invaluable for his students, most of whom will never become professional journalists. During his broadcast journey, Davis helped found the Student Television Network, and is the host and director of a national for scholastic broadcast teachers, training educators from across the U.S. and five foreign countries, since the summer of 2000.

Davis and his wife Martha will celebrate 40 years of marriage this winter. They have two amazing daughters, Jenny and Lindsey, and two near-perfect grandchildren, Vivian and Elliott. He has lived on the west side of Springfield, MO all his life.