By Quinn O’Hara

Clay Center Community High School Alumni Hunter Squires and his debate teammates at Washburn University are national champions after competing at the National Forensic Association Lincoln-Douglas Debate Championships.

This year’s topic of debate asked participants if the United States Federal Government should reduce the number or role of its nuclear weapons. Squires said though he did not make it to the elimination rounds, he found ways to contribute to the team’s big win.

Squires said he is grateful for his time at CCCHS, and said he benefited from the school’s semester-long debate class, which he said is something unique to Kansas.

Squires said he is happy to be a part of Washburn University’s national-winning debate team and is looking forward to next year’s debate.