Due to COVID-19 and the cancelation of schools, the National Debate Tournament scheduled for June 13-20 will now be held virtually. Melissa students Connor Sale, junior, and Mattie McGrady, soph., will be competing.

“I was really upset when events started cancelling,” Sale said. “But, I was very excited to hear that nationals were still going to be held.”

McGrady will be competing in Dramatic Interpretation and Sale will be competing in World Schools Debate. They will compete against kids all over the country that qualified for Nationals via Zoom.

“It will be weird doing it online, but I think it will also be easier because I won’t be as nervous,” Sale said.

Other national qualifiers from Melissa include juniors Thaddeus Baker and Anna Gressett and soph. Logan Lowery.

The results for each event will be announced on June 20.