Speech and Debate can often seem intimidating. The hours of preparation, vulnerability of standing before an audience, and pressure to perform keep many students sidelined. However, Poly Prep’s Speech program aims to transform that perception. Thanks in large part to the work of Associate Director of Speech, Caitlin Bliss, the program has become a space where students not only find their voices but learn to shape them with purpose and confidence.
Since joining the Poly community in 2017, Bliss has been instrumental in reimagining the school’s speech programming. With a professional background in theater and acting, ranging from off-Broadway performances to indie films such as Child Eater, American Bill, and Misfire, Bliss brings a unique lens to coaching. Her acting experience spans genres from slasher horror to fantasy, reflecting a versatility that serves her well as an educator. Nevertheless, Bliss did not follow the conventional path to becoming a speech coach. Most coaches in the field began as competitors themselves, often as members of their high school or college speech and debate team. Bliss, however, arrived at Poly with a background in the arts. “My background is actually in theater, in acting for the stage and for film,” she explained. “I was focused on that primarily for about a decade.” A graduate of Smith College, where she earned a BA in Theatre Arts, she pursued acting professionally before stepping into education. When offered the opportunity to coach at Poly, she was intrigued by how naturally her improvisational and other performance-based skills aligned with the demands of speech coaching. “A lot of the work is acting and character-based, so it was kind of a perfect transition in that way,” she mentioned.
Her commitment to student growth is evident in her approach to coaching. While her professional background is extensive, Bliss centers student creativity above all else. “Speech really provides students with many opportunities to perform substantial work and to also exercise autonomy over their message,” she said. From selecting pieces to shaping their performances, students have a significant hand in crafting their work. “If we cut out lines, we build our own story together, and I’m just really there to service their vision.”
Bliss contrasts such creative autonomy with the more rigid structure of traditional theater, where actors often have little say in their roles. “I think one thing that I really love about speech is that you can play any character you want. You can tell any story you want, and I’m just here to support that message.”
Since 2017, Bliss has overseen steady growth in participation and awareness of speech events at Poly. Building the program from a one-student team into a competitive force, Bliss highlights a shifting community response. “Poly has just been really supportive of developing the sort of speech side of the program,” she said. While debate has long been predominant at Poly, speech offerings were less well-known when she arrived. Her outreach efforts have helped increase visibility through assemblies, Homecoming showcases, and other events. Bliss proudly said, “I think the general Poly student body is more aware of speech offerings than they have been before.”
The results are clear. In recent years, Poly students have frequently qualified for state and national tournaments, reflecting both the team’s talent and the environment Bliss has cultivated. “The last two years, we’ve qualified multiple people to national tournaments,” she said. “When we’re out on the tournaments, we’re doing really well, but we’re also taking that work back and sharing it with Poly.”
Looking ahead, Bliss is excited to expand access to speech further at Poly. “I was given an extra class this year, so that means I get to meet more students,” she said. In that class, students can choose to compete in a local tournament as their final project, offering a low-stakes introduction to competitive speech. Bliss also plans to pilot a new offering for second-semester eighth graders: “They will get introduced to the world of speech and the events that we offer,” she explained. “So when they come into ninth grade, they’re already prepared with a knowledge of events and maybe for some of them, even some experience at tournaments.”
With a coaching philosophy rooted in strategic outreach and student empowerment, Caitlin Bliss has reshaped what speech looks like at Poly. The program is a creative and supportive space for students to explore performance, storytelling, and self-expression. As Speech continues to expand at Poly with an emphasis on student agency, Bliss is ensuring that the momentum continues for years to come.
