Tri-Town Optimist Oratorical Contest winners named

PHOTO: Top row, fom left, teacher Jill Mathieu, assistant superintendent and judge Amy Hediger, teacher Ell Fanus; middle row, Tri-Town Optimist Club President Mary Martin, Abby Coughlin, Karlee Lothrup; bottom row, Graceyn Camire.

MECHANIC FALLS — The Tri-Town Optimist Club, which serves the towns of Poland, Minot and Mechanic Falls, held its annual Oratorical Contest on Feb. 25.
Graceyn Camire won first place, Karlee Lothrop came in second and Abigail Coughlin was third. All three are sixth-graders at Poland Community School. The students had to speak on “Healing the World with Optimism,” and their speeches were presented via Zoom to three judges.
The contest, for students in grades five to eight, is designed for youth to gain experience in public speaking, perfect self-expression, gain self-assurance and improve communication skills.
Teachers who helped the students prepare their four to five-minute speeches were Jill Mathieu, who teaches in the gifted and talented program at Minot Consolidated and Elm Street schools, and d Ell Fanus, who teaches in the gifted and talented program at Poland Community and Whittier Middle schools.