Two Lawrence school district students qualified this weekend to the national speech and debate tournament in congressional debate competition.

Haley Luna, a junior at Lawrence High School, qualified by placing second in the Senate division at the National Forensics League’s East Kansas District tournament on Saturday. Hannah Moran, a senior at Free State High School, qualified by placing second in the House division.

During the fall semester, Luna was part of Lawrence High’s four-speaker team that took third place in policy debate at the 6A state championships. Moran was part of a two-speaker team that finished among the top 16 teams in the state.

Congressional debate is an individual speaking competition that takes place in a large group setting that emulates the United States Congress. Participants draft proposed legislation before the tournament and try to move their bills through the process. They earn points from judges as they give speeches for or against various bills, while also standing for questions and posing questions to other speakers.

Luna and Moran won’t have to travel far for this year’s national tournament. The event is being held June 15-20 in Overland Park.