Senior Amanda Abernathy and Junior Kelsey Moses competed in Duo Acting and placed 1st at the contest and will advance to the National Tournament in Birmingham, Ala.June 14-19. The National Forensic League believes that all students should be empowered to become effective communicators, ethical individuals, critical thinkers, and leaders in a democratic society.

The National Forensic League has run the National Speech Tournament continuously since 1931 (except for the World War II years) and the National Student Congress since 1938. Events and rules have changed with the growth of the NFL, but the league's commitment to providing exciting competition has remained constant. Six main speech events, four types of debate competition, two consolation speech events and four supplemental speech events produce national champions at the end of an action-packed week of competition. Winning students are rewarded with outstanding trophies and over $130,000 in college scholarships.

Since its founding, the NFL has enrolled over 1,264,888 members in all fifty states, U. S. possessions and several foreign countries. Currently over 91,000 high school students and over 6500 high school teachers are active members.

Qualifying for the NFL National Tournament happens at the district level. Senior Amanda Abernathy and Junior Kelsey Moses competed at the UIL-NFL district contest at TJC, Feb. 26, 2009. These two young ladies competed in Duo Acting and placing 1st at the contest and advancing to the National Tournament in Birmingham, Alabama June 14-19, 2009.

" In order to compete at the district level you must be a member of NFL through an accumulation of points that the students earn by attending tournaments in high school." stated Sandy Spears, NFL Bullard forensic coach and district committee member. "This is the first time for Bullard students to participate in the National Forensic League contest and they are advancing to Nationals. The young ladies worked hard in learning this art of Duo Acting. I was very proud when the awards were announced. I hope next year our Forensic team will be bigger and even more competitive."

Other Bullard students that competed in the District tournament were Judson Watkins and Suzanne Warden- Public Forum Debate and Congress, Olivia Levoy - Congress and US Extemp. Speaking ,Minta Spears - Congress and Dramatic Interpretation and

Heather Berryhill - Humorous Interpretation.