Unaware of his outstanding speaking ability, Kaleb Bagby decided to accept a challenge from one of his favorite teachers.

When Liberty Christian teacher Bryan Spencer approached the senior about the American Legion Post 122 speech contest, he wasn’t sure how qualified he was. After all, Bagby considers being a good listener to be one of his strongest traits.

But he moved forward with the process as the lone representative from the school, excelling through the first round, which included presentation of the written and memorized portions of his speech.

Then came the even greater task of giving an impromptu three-minute speech about an assigned portion of the articles of the amendments of the United State Constitution. Bagby surprised himself by outdoing the competition to earn a partial scholarship to Lindenwood University, where he is already enrolled. He has been taking evening classes to earn early credits and get ahead on his college education as part of dual enrollment program.

Beyond his academic endeavors, Bagby is a member of the Student Council and also plays on the baseball and basketball teams. In the past, he served as the huddle leader of the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes program.

Bagby was particularly thrilled when the school decided to start a baseball program during his sophomore year and proved his merits by earning first-team all-state honors after going a perfect 10-for-10 during the state tournament.

The second youngest of four siblings, Bagby lives in Troy and has attended Liberty Christian since eighth grade, having previously been homeschooled. He spent just one year in public school as a kindergartener.

Concerning his college plans, Bagby says he isn’t certain what direction he wants to pursue, having initially considered criminal justice before changing his mind. In the meantime, he is focused on maintaining superior grades and staying at the top of his class.

What is it like attending college while still in high school?

“It’s not as stressful as I thought it would be. Growing up I thought college would be super stressful but with good time management it’s not that bad. And it’s a lot cheaper too. I’ve been doing pretty good so far.”

Q: What is your favorite part about attending Liberty Christian?

“It’s smaller so you pretty much know everyone. Having been there four years, I’ve gotten really close with everybody there and they’ve become like family. Definitely my favorite part is how real we can all be with each other.”

Q: Who has had the greatest influence on you?

“Mr. Spencer has really gotten me to where I am today in relation to how I talk to people and how outgoing I have become. He’s definitely made a big difference in my high school experience.”

Q: What type of legacy do you feel you will have left on the school?

“I like to think I left a good one. People tell me I’m patient and easy to talk to. I listen well and an easy guy to be friends with.”

Q: What are your goals leading up to graduation?

“My goal is to graduate with honors and be valedictorian if I can. That might be tough though, because we’ve got a lot of smart classmates.”

Q: If you could have dinner with any three people, who would you choose?

“Abraham Lincoln, Yadier Molina and Dwayne Johnson.”

Favorite Food: “Chicken.”

Favorite Restaurant: “Tucano’s.”

Favorite Movie: “The Avengers.”

Favorite TV Show: “Flash.”

Favorite Song: “Ready, Aim, Fire by Imagine Dragons.”

Favorite Band: “Imagine Dragons.”

Favorite Sports Teams: “Cardinals, Blues and Oklahoma.”