HOUSTON, TX—On Wednesday, January 19th, the Texas Industrial Vocational Association (TIVA) announced Joel Casiday, Culinary Arts Instructor/SkillsUSA Advisor at Coldspring-Oakhurst High School in Coldspring, Texas, as the recipient of the 2022 TIVA Outstanding Career and Technical Education Teacher Award. This award recognizes the finest career and technical education (CTE) teachers at the middle/secondary school level who have demonstrated excellence and innovation in the classroom, commitment to their students and industry, and dedication to the improvement and promotion of CTE in their institutions and communities.

Joel "Chef" Casiday attended the University of Louisiana at Monroe, graduating in 2008 with a degree in Social Studies Education. He then received his degree in Culinary Arts in 2012 from the Art Institute of Houston, where he graduated as the Top Graduate of the Culinary Arts program. He then began teaching at Livingston High School in the fall of 2012, later moving to Coldspring-Oakhurst High School in 2019. Chef Casiday has worked the past ten years to build, develop, and implement high-quality, local culinary arts programs, training students to become successful and industry-ready students.

In addition to his teaching duties, Casiday has represented hospitality education in leadership capacities across the state. He has served the greater CTE community as the SkillsUSA District 7 Officer Advisor and currently serves as a technical chairperson for various district and state SkillsUSA contests, a member of SkillsUSA State Advisory Board, a member of the TIVA Board of Directors, the TIVA District 7 Director, a SkillsUSA new contest developer, and iCEV national conference presenter.

Casiday was announced the winner at the Opening Session of the TIVA Mid-Winter Conference, recognizing the best CTE educators in the state. The event took place on January 19th at the Omni Houston - Galleria Hotel. Chef Casiday is a resident of Livingston and will represent the State of Texas at the Association for Career and Technical Education Regional Teacher Awards in the coming months.

On Saturday, January 8, COHS band students traveled to Tyler to compete in the ATSSB Area East tryouts. This is the contest to compete for a spot in the All State Band. Charles (Luc) Butler earned First Chair for Oboe out of 8 students. He also earned a spot in the All State Band. Luc will perform with all of the top students in the State of Texas in San Antonio in February. This is one of the most prestigious honors to have as a band student! Congratulations, Luc!

Cadet Major Quinton Walberg is one of 200 Air Force Junior ROTC cadets around the world to receive the scholarship from Headquarters Air Force Junior ROTC, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, AL. More than 1300 cadets applied for one of the 200 scholarships. There are almost 120,000 high school students enrolled in Air Force Junior ROTC programs at approximately 870 high schools in the U.S. and overseas. The scholarship covers transportation, room and board, academics and flight hours required to potentially earn a Private Pilot Certificate. The scholarship is valued at approximately $22,500! Congratulations, Cadet Major Walberg!