Hundreds of students walk through the front doors every day at 8:10 a.m. just to start counting down the minutes until they can finally leave at 3:25 p.m. They go through four periods a day feeling like they are robots just performing the codes that have been programmed into them.

But one teacher changes all of these things.

Speech and debate teacher Sally Squibb.

After 39 years of teaching, Squibb has been recognized for her hard work by being inducted into the Texas Forensic Association Hall of Fame class of 2016 – 2017. A committee of elite educators nominate potential inductees, and Squibb was one of four nominees chosen to be inducted. Each of the four exhibit leadership and dedication to the speech and debate community.

“My peers and the whole world of teaching speech and debate and coaching children recognize that Lewisville High School is definitely on the map,” Squibb said. “They know who our speakers are and they know that they come from good stock.”

Squibb puts hours of hard work into her job, not only transforming the speech and debate world, but influencing each student in her program.

“I’ve seen her work just hours getting kids ready for competitions,” speech and debate teacher Liana Massengale said. “She’s traveled everywhere and just put all of her heart and soul into all that goes into these tournaments and all that goes into getting these kids to be the best that they can be.”

Squibb has created a standard for speech and debate. She makes sure that not only her kids are successful, but her program as a whole is equally prosperous.

“You talk about people’s legacies after they are gone, you know, what they leave behind, and she’s still here,” principal Jeffrey Kajs said. “She’s created this atmosphere of success and this atmosphere of high achievement, yet she’s still doing it with [new students every year].”

Many students who have gone through Squibb’s program have gone to state, won competitions, and some have even been inspired to teach speech and debate. Massengale, an alumna, was one of Squibb’s former students.

“She’s my best friend, she’s my inspiration,” Massengale said. “She is the reason I became a teacher because of what I learned when I was in her class, and the way I see that she just loves teaching. So I wanted to be a part of that.”

Squibb upholds herself in a standard of humility; everything she does is for the betterment of someone else.

“She never does anything for her own glory,” Kajs said. “It’s never about what she wants or she’s going to do this because she wants this accolade or she wants this certificate or this achievement. She just does her job, does it well; you let the chips fall where they may. And look what happens: it falls on successful kids who are driven, who want to do great things, and she helps them along the way and never asks for anything for it.”

Not only does she do it for her students, but she does it because it’s her passion. It’s what she loves to do.

“I get to be happy every day as I watch children learn, and show them that they truly have a voice for what I teach,” Squibb said.

The award is just a confirmation that all of her hard work has paid off.

“She just wins and she gets the kids to win,” Kajs said.