Poland high school students qualify for national speech, debate competition

Four Poland Regional High School Speech and Debate students have qualified for the national competition in Kentucky. From left are Cheyenne Toth, Audrey Fryda, Braiden Stickney and Brady Milton. Submitted photo

Four Poland Regional High School Speech and Debate students have qualified for the national competition, scheduled for Thursday to Monday, May 25-29 in Louisville, Kentucky.

This is the second year in a row that Audrey Fryda of New Gloucester and Cheyenne Toth of Mechanic Falls, both juniors, have qualified for nationals. They went to Washington, D.C., last year, according to a news release from Amy Hediger, Regional School Unit 16 assistant superintendent.

This is the first year participating in Speech and Debate for Braiden Stickney of Mechanic Falls, a junior, and Brady Milton of Poland, a freshman, who also qualified for nationals.

D’Arcy Robinson, the Speech and Debate coach, has gone to many nationals with past students of the program.

The students will be holding fundraisers in the community to raise needed monies to cover the costs.