About the Coach

Ms. Rachel Clapper

Ms. Rachel Clapper is the Director of Madison Central Speech and Debate and has been coaching Speech and Debate the past four years. Before coming to Madison Central, Ms. Clapper was the Assistant Director of Speech and Debate at Hattiesburg High School and Director of Speech and Debate at NR Burger Middle School in the Hattiesburg Public School District. During her time at Hattiesburg Public Schools, the HHS Speech and Debate Team won two MHSAA State Championships and was twice awarded the School of Excellence Award by the National Speech and Debate Association for being in the top 10% of Speech and Debate schools in the nation. Ms. Clapper also directed the largest middle school not just in the state but in the nation, at NR Burger Middle School, and the team was ranked in the top 20 middle schools nationwide annually by the National Speech and Debate Association. During her tenure, HHS had a competitor onstage at NDSA finals for three years, and NR Burger Middle School fielded top 24 competitors at NSDA for middle schools. Ms. Clapper was recognized with a Superior Achievement by the National Speech and Debate Association for her work with NR Burger Middle School, as well as being recognized by the HPSD school district Activity of Excellence.