Three Sequoyah High School students will compete with some of the country's best speech and debate students on a national stage.

Sarah Carnes, Chris Shattuck and Amy Feinberg qualified to participate in the National Forensic League 2010 national competition from June 13 to 18 in Kansas City, Mo.

The league, the oldest and largest speech and debate society in the country, supports and promotes speech and debate activities in schools and encourages interscholastic competition on the local, state and national level.

The three students qualified for nationals during a recent district tournament debate at Georgia Tech. They also participated in the Harvard National Invitational Forensics Tournament held in February at Harvard University.

Matt Bartula, Sequoyah's debate coach, and Jamie Wills, its speech coach, applaud the students' success.

"I feel like it's an accomplishment," Bartula said. "They work very, very hard all year long."

Amy, a junior, and Chris, a senior, placed first in policy debate at the Georgia Tech event and will compete in debate at nationals, making them the first Sequoyah students to do so.

Amy, 16, daughter of Gary Feinberg and Kyle DaSilea of Canton, said she's excited and nervous about the national competition. It will be "different from local debate," she said, as the competition will be more intense.

"It'll be a great chance to debate again," she said.

Chris, 17, son of Stephen and Kimberly Shattuck of southeast Cherokee County, said he was impressed with his and Amy's performance.

"It takes a significant work ethic to be able to compete and do well at these tournaments," he said.

Sarah, a sophomore who won first place in the original oratory competition at Georgia Tech, will compete in speech at nationals. She is only the second Sequoyah student to do so, following senior Emily Cardin, who competed last year.

"It makes me feel very proud of myself," Sarah, 15, daughter of Brian and Pam Carnes of Hickory Flat.

Between now and June the students will be busy honing their skills.

Ms. Wills said she will work with Sarah to improve on her gestures, projections and oratorical techniques.

She added she wants the students to focus on their abilities and not worry about winning.

"I tell them it's not about the trophy," she said.

Bartula said he will work with his students to sharpen their critiques and critical arguments and to research evidence backing up their arguments.

Amy said she's hoping at the event to learn from other debaters' tactics and hear the varying arguments students make.

"It'll be a great chance to debate again," she said.

Sarah said she encourages students to become involved with speech or debate because it's not only helped her with speaking in front of others, but also with better conveying her thoughts to others.

"Not only will it benefit you throughout high school and college, but throughout your entire life," she said.