Typically serving as a substitute teacher for four days out of the week, most CHS students have had Rachel Wear in their classroom at least at one point during their CUSD experience, and, if not, are at least familiar with the name. Possessing an assertive personality and outspoken nature, even the smallest of interactions with Wear are not easily forgotten. But, rest assured, she is certainly one of CHS’s most beloved substitutes, because Wear isn’t just any substitute teacher.

Many on campus recognize Wear as one of CHS’s speech and debate team coaches, alongside English teacher David Chamberlain. Among its members, the CHS Speech and Debate team is usually described as a rigorous program that entails hours of practice and often multiple days at tournaments. But the time-consuming nature of speech and debate appears as nothing compared to the time and effort Wear puts into sustaining the success of the program.

In addition to coaching the CHS speech and debate team, Wear also serves as Vice President of the California Citrus Belt Speech region (CHS’s speech and debate league), a member of the California High School Speech Association (CHSSA) Board of Directors, as well as a coach on the El Roble speech and debate team. But despite having so many commitments and responsibilities within the speech and debate community, she recognizes the value in speech and debate, and her reasoning as to why she’s heavily involved.

“I like seeing the change that happens to the students that do speech and debate,” Wear said. “They go from looking like they’re going to vomit on the floor to gaining more confidence. I like seeing the change [in them] that way.”

In addition to enjoying seeing speech and debate team members grow and mature, Wear also has fond memories of comical instances at speech and debate tournaments specifically.

“One of my favorite memories was chasing Angelo [Thomas, CHS junior] down the lobby at Stanford [debate tournament],” Wear said. “Things like that. He wasn’t expecting that.”

Wear says she enjoys napping as a hobby, but as a woman of many commitments, she rarely has time. As a Montana native, she enjoys bears and wilderness. As a California local, she has an interest in sharks and the beach. Whether it is through speech and debate or from interactions as a substitute teacher, Wear truly has made an impact on CHS and CUSD at large.