Several students from Cumberland County Schools (CCS) have earned the opportunity to compete at the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament, which will take place June 14–19 in Richmond, Virginia.
The following CCS students qualified to represent their schools and the district at the national tournament:
Massey Hill Classical High
Griffin Hire
Quincy Williams
Terry Sanford High
Laura Sigmon
Cumberland International Early College High
Aubrey Legros
Cumberland Polytechnic High
Carter Brown
Journey DeWalt
Abigail Joy
Ian Kim
Grace Stevenson
Hosted by the National Speech & Debate Association, the annual tournament brings together some of the top student competitors from around the world and serves as the culmination of speech and debate activities.
Of the more than 200,000 students who participate in speech and debate nationwide each year, nearly 7,000 qualify for the national competition, making the achievement especially prestigious. Students participating in speech and debate develop skills that empower them to become advocates, changemakers and future leaders in their schools and communities.