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Meyers Speech and Debate Students Compete in Washington, D.C.
      The Meyers Speech & Debate team travelled to Washington, DC this Memorial Day weekend to compete at the National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament.  
      Approximately 3,000 students competed at the national championships.
      Each of the competitors had qualified for the national championships by succeeding at diocesan qualifying tournaments earlier in the spring. The top three competitors in each event in the Scranton diocese, which encompasses all of northeastern Pennsylvania and the north and central Susquehanna Valley, qualified for the tournament. 
      Freshman Madison Klick made the octofinal round of declamation with her presentation of the “Whisper of AIDS” speech, delivered by Mary Fisher at the 1992 Republican National Convention, which placed her in the top 48 in the country in this event.
      Ms. Klick is the first Meyers freshman to achieve elimination rounds at the national championships, as well as the first Meyers speaker to achieve elimination rounds in declamation at the national championships. 
      Senior Natalie Davidson and junior Anthony Macko competed in policy debate, debating both sides of the resolution, “Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its funding and/or regulation of elementary and/or secondary education in the United States.”
      This was Ms. Davidson fourth consecutive trip to the national tournament. This was Mr. Macko’s first qualification.
      The team was assisted in coaching and judging capacities at nationals by Meyers alumni Emily Cook, John Monahan, Emily Welles, Ron Woznock, Sara Woznock, Sarah Borland and Joseph Borland.
      Meyers team alumnae Sarah Ancas, Hayley Boote and Cassidy Lupico, who work or study in Washington, joined the team over the course of the weekend.
      In addition to competing over the weekend, the team also visited the National Portrait Gallery, the International Spy Museum, the Newseum, the monuments and memorials on the Mall, and enjoyed a program by the Capitol Steps.