- Olathe Public Schools
- 2024 News Articles
- 2015 News Articles
News & Information
Page Navigation
6-8-15 — Anderson Received National Honor
June 8, 2015 ~ The National Speech and Debate Association has named Josh Anderson, a teacher at Olathe Northwest High School, as the 2015 National Coach of the Year.
"Josh's passion for speech and debate is apparent through his outstanding leadership and commitment to coaching," said J. Scott Wunn, executive director of the National Speech and Debate Association. "He's dedicated to his students and serves as an extraordinary mentor for them."
Anderson has served as a teacher at Olathe Northwest High School since its opening in 2003. Throughout that time the speech and debate program has grown considerably- it has become nationally recognized and ranked as a Top 10 Program of Excellence. In 2007, Anderson was named Kansas Teacher of the Year and a finalist for National Teacher of the Year.
"He is dedicated to making every student feel like he or she belongs," said Cameron Jones, freshman at Olathe Northwest High School. "He strives to make all of his students feel welcome in the community that we call speech and debate."
The success of the speech and debate program at Olathe Northwest is directly attributed to the leadership of Anderson.
"Josh engages his students in the learning process," Olathe Northwest High School Principal Gwen Poss said. "He is a natural educator and is driven to teach parents, staff, and our community the powerful role debate plays in our lives."
Anderson will receive the Coach of the Year Award at the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Dallas this month. The Coach of the Year is selected through a committee comprised of members of the National Speech and Debate Association Board of Directors and the Executive Director. They review nominations submitted by member schools.
The National Speech and Debate Association is the largest interscholastic speech and debate organization serving middle school, high school, and collegiate students in the United States.