by Jen Oemig

CHELMSFORD – Recent Chelmsford High School graduate Sophia Roy took home second place honors in the Original Oratory category at the National Catholic Forensics League (NCFL) Grand Nationals.

At the event, which was held in Chicago May 23-25, Roy competed in eight rounds of competition against other students from across the country.

As a four-year varsity member of the Chelmsford High School Speech and Debate Team, Roy became a nationally-ranked competitor in Informative Speaking. She was ranked first in Informative Speaking in Massachusetts and eighth across the nation in the event.

Roy was ranked second in Massachusetts in Original Oratory.  This past year at the Harvard Speech and Debate Tournament, the largest such tournament in the nation, she took fourth place in Informative Speaking.

As a member of the National Speech and Debate Association Honors Society, Roy advanced to the degree of Premier Distinction, which only the most competitive members achieve.

Roy said she has enjoyed being part of the Speech and Debate community over the past four years.

“We all come together because we love to advocate,” she said, explaining that many competitors focus on societal issues. “And everyone has their different perspective.”

Focusing her most recent topics on women’s health, Roy said she feels like she has been able to make an impact on people’s lives.

“I like choosing topics that women can relate to because I’m very passionate about women’s rights,” she said. “That’s why Speech and Debate is so meaningful for me.”

Wrapping up her senior year, Roy said she’s hopeful the Speech and Debate Team at CHS continues to grow and thrive.

“This is an activity that can’t die out,” she said. “It’s so important. … It gives people a platform to talk about something that they care about.”

Graduating from CHS with honors in June, Roy will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall and is considering a dual major in neuroscience and English.