Adjacent classroom doors shut and Chromebooks are flipped open. The sound of Abigail McCluskey’s hands against the keyboard echoes in the almost empty classroom. Google meet is opened on the screen, the chime of logging in rings and conversation starts. 

Abigail McCluskey has been on the debate team since freshman year. She served as Vice President junior year and President senior year. McCluskey received two fourth place awards in Public Forum, First Team All Conference 2020, Special Distinction on the NSDA points tracker and is a District Qualifier 2019, 2020, and 2021. McCluskey believes she shows good leadership for her peers. 

“Last year I was Vice President, so Mr. Phelps called me and told me that he would just give me the position, since I had experience from being an officer,” McCluskey said in an email. “I influence other members by showing strong leadership and helping them prepare for tournaments and coach them to do great things on the team.”

McCluskey has lettered in band for four years, and is the Co-President of National Honor Society. Debate coach Mr. Bobby Phelps shows pride in having McCluskey in his program. 

“Abigail is an effective leader of our team,” Phelps said in an email. “She keeps her teammates’ needs ahead of her own when preparing for tournaments and hosting our own tournament.  Her attitude is always positive and constructive, coming up with new ideas and direction for the team. She is enthusiastic and never gives up, which is influential to all of us.”

In her free time she enjoys cooking, baking and creating new recipes for her cookbook. She also enjoys hiking and fishing with her sister. McCluskey’s debate partner, Haleigh Wilson, is thankful for having her.

“Working with Abigail is great,” Wilson said in an email. “Abigail is a reliable partner, who always works her hardest. She pushes me as a partner and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to work with for the past four years.”

McCluskey has committed to the University of Missouri to major in meteorology. She enjoys being around her peers and the opportunities debate has created.

“My favorite part of debate is the family that has been created,” McCluskey said in an email. “I also enjoy traveling to tournaments pre-covid and meeting people from other schools.”

The conversation falls silent as preparation ends. A new Google Meet is opened, with opponents and a judge. Voices pick up and the debate begins.