Wilcox, who also teaches Precalculus, IB Mathematics SL, and Probability and Statistics, confesses to a real passion for teaching statistics. "I've always had an analytical mind," says the chess whiz and former academic team competitor. "Statistics bridges the gap between the theoretical and the practical. I like it because you can apply it to something real."

Before launching his career as a teacher, Wilcox spent ten years in international business working for Motorola in Chicago and Sao Paulo, Brazil; Anderson Consulting in Nashville; and Romac in Memphis. He attended Christian Brothers University in Memphis on a four-year soccer scholarship and graduated in 1989 with a B.S. in Mathematics. In 1994 he earned a Master of International Business Studies from the University of South Carolina in Columbia. He is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish and serves as a Spanish as well as math tutor at CCES.

"Having worked in industry before teaching at CCES, David's ability to make statistics come alive and become relevant and exciting is a tremendous attribute to his success," notes his colleague in the math department, Charles McGee.

Math Department Chair Gayle Key concurs. "David has shown exceptional expertise in the teaching of our AP Statistics class. It is obvious to anyone observing him that he loves his subject matter. He finds the study of statistics fascinating and he passes on this fascination to his students."

"I strive to prepare students for life outside the classroom in what has become a very information intensive society," reflected Wilcox. "Statistics that are released through the media can be misleading and confusing. It is very satisfying for me to show students how to navigate through real-world numerical, written, and graphical data that they are exposed to in everyday life. In AP Statistics, I frequently expose students for the first time to open-ended problems with multiple solutions and challenge them to support their answers or positions. Evaluation of critical thinking skills as an integral part of my course has allowed me to emphasize and therefore develop it in my students."

Wilcox is no stranger to awards, but until this nomination, most have come to him via his abiding athletic passion: soccer. He is the coach of the six-time defending CCES state champion boys soccer team and is gearing up for another title run season this spring. (Go, Cavs!)

For the past three consecutive years Wilcox has been honored both as National Soccer Coaches of America Association (NSCAA) State Private/Parochial Coach of the Year. He is also a five-time winner of the South Carolina High School Sports Report (HSSR) Class A Coach of the Year.

Wilcox's devotion to soccer consumes his free time. For the past seven years he has run the popular Summer Encounters Cavalier Soccer program at CCES. He has also coached and trained teams for Carolina Elite Soccer Academy (CESA), Greenville Futbol Club, St. Giles Soccer Club, and Downtown Soccer Association. This summer he has been tapped to coach the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) North/South Senior All-Star game.

"I have always wanted to teach and coach," said Wilcox. "I like the fact that I can have an impact on my students in the classroom and also on the soccer field." He also loves being near his own children during the day and counts visiting and interacting with his son's class as one of the benefits of working here.

"High school is the ideal level for me to teach. I believe that at the high school level, a teacher can still make a big impact in a young person's life and at the same time enjoy a reasonable depth in the curriculum. In a time when most of my friends from my formative years feel trapped in careers that are unfulfilling, it is refreshing to me to know what I want to do. It is even more exciting to have the ability to do just that. Through teaching, I can stay in a field that I love and at the same time help other people."

CCES is proud to count Wilcox as a member of its faculty and coaching staff. He embodies the energy, commitment, and pursuit of excellence that are essential for providing a 21st century education to our students at CCES.