Rashaan Davis Named Western Region Earl Reum Award Winner

To Rashaan Davis, a Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) Assistant Commissioner, the most valuable part of each day is ensuring the ability to impact. Responsible for overseeing all music, speech and debate programs, student leadership, and esport chapters throughout Colorado, Davis prides himself in his work and feels passionate about the need for activities and students voices’ to be heard within schools.

For his efforts, Davis was named the recipient of the 2023 Western Region Earl Reum Award during the Opening General Session of the 2023 National Conference on Student Activities (NCSA) in Burlingame, California Friday night. The award is named in honor of Dr. Earl Reum, a Colorado native who founded the National Association for Student Activities (NA4SA), and recognizes Davis’ exceptional contributions to the mentoring of student activities.

“Putting into words what Rashaan’s impact has been – and continues to be – is nearly impossible,” CHSAA Associate Commissioner Bethany Brookens said. “A nationally recognized speaker, inspirer and changemaker, Rashaan is one of Colorado’s true pioneers in both student leadership and activities. He’s committed to consistently putting students, their needs, and their voices at the top of his priorities, and he does so with such ease and grace. This award, named after Dr. Earl Reum – the original pioneer of student leadership and activities here in Colorado, epitomizes everything that Rashaan stands for. He could not be more deserving of this honor.”

“We are all incredibly blessed to have such a passionate and gifted leader like Rashaan impacting the lives of students throughout Colorado,” said CHSAA Commissioner Mike Krueger. “Rashaan is not only an amazing educator, but he’s a gift to anyone who is lucky enough to know him.”

When Davis graduated from Colorado State University Pueblo, with a degree in secondary education, he quickly started to develop relationships with those around him. He began his career teaching in various schools across the metro area, securing jobs at Highlands Ranch High School followed by Eaglecrest High School, and finally as an administrator at Smoky Hill High School, before landing an esteemed position at CHSAA in 2021. Davis credits past commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green for taking a chance on him when she hired him at CHSAA.

“My entire journey has prepared me for this,” David said. “I don’t think I could have been a decent administrator without having been in the classroom and understanding what teachers go through. Having direct contact with kids helps you have better conversations with teachers about how they should look to impact them. And now as a state administrator, I look back at what kids need and I try to bring that to work.”

Davis highly credits his past experiences and interactions for where he is now, specifying individuals such as Jerry Goings and Chuck Puga, principles of Highlands Ranch and Smoky Hill High School during his time employed there, and emphasizing his gratitude for countless individuals whom he felt were essential in preparing him for his current position, including previous students and colleagues for trusting in his capabilities and decisions.

An experience which he can only describe as a “ripple,” Davis continuously graduated from impacting a limited amount of kids within a classroom, to a larger amount on a campus, and now impacting children throughout the state.

“At every stop along the way, I’m looking at who I can impact,” Davis stated. “So, to know you can impact students to help a school, or teachers to help kids in the community, we are now at the state level where kids and adults work together to impact all of us state-wide. There’s nothing better, so it all comes back to, who are you impacting?”

With goals of being an “agent of change,” Davis has aspirations for activities to someday be seen in the same way in which our culture perceives sports. He hopes for people to appreciate what he considers to be “the other side of the school” and understand that the connections kids make whether they’re on the speech and debate team or in the choir, are equal to the bonds built on a basketball team.

“They still have all the rules of belonging,” Davis explained. “These kids still all want to achieve at the highest level. All these things are the same and when we get activities in that room, it’s a great place for everyone. So I want to be someone who helps shine the spotlight on activities.”

Whether it’s students who choose to sing, debate, or lead, Davis believes that all students’ needs must be fostered, too. By leading student leadership throughout the state and believing that it is the “glue that holds activities together,” Davis empowers young leaders to use their voice to help their community and be involved in various activities around them.

Hosting National Conferences, Regionals Districts, Professional Workshops, Charity Fundraisers, and State Championships, there are plenty of accomplishments that Davis deserves to be proud of. Yet, when asked what achievement has been most fulfilling, Davis emphasized how the importance of the relationships he has been able to build throughout his years as an educator is what means the most to him.

“I hopefully excelled at giving kids room to come into class and to really feel like they were part of the process,” Davis emotionally states while reminiscing on stories of his former students and the community that emerged within his classroom.

With dedication to ensuring a sense of belonging across campuses, Davis, though now not in a classroom, continues to commit himself to initiatives that ensure kids’ wants are focused on and that their interests are being adapted to.

“You can’t beat students finding their belonging on a campus,” Davis said. “That little role I’m able to play in that now, statewide, I want to do my part.”

With CHSAA’s newest additions of unified bowling and esports, and possibly girls flag football in the near future, Davis feels that as new generations of children play differently and find joy in differing interests, it’s of great importance to incorporate new activities that are adapted to the changing amusements of kids.

“As new generations of kids come through the system, things change,” Davis explained. “And we need to stay on top of that change. It’s like the Olympics, right? Surely there are new things. The standards tend to remain the same, but we are always looking for new and different ways to engage our communities.”

By overseeing esports, Davis has seen first-hand how the incorporation of new activities can change a community and shift perspectives on how they’re perceived.

“I think the growth of esports, for example, has been really important in helping adults to see that kids can come together and create activities that are meaningful,” said Davis.

Since he began working in high schools, Davis has seen exponential growth. By witnessing increasing participation amounts and the addition of new sports and activities he believes that the sky’s the limit when it comes to CHSAA and looks forward to impacting more students through his role as Assistant Commissioner.

“Looking back, it’s been the perfect hard-fought journey,” Davis admitted. “There’s been ups and downs, but they all came at times when I needed them or wanted them so badly, and it all worked out.”