Fresno kids prep for National Junior Forensics Competition

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- In just a few days, several local middle school students will head to the National Junior Forensics Competition.

The forensics club, which focuses on speech and debate, has a newly developed middle school team at Computech Middle School in Fresno.

Students say the popularity of the club has grown from just seven students at the beginning of the school year to 50 by year's end.

Teachers hope the students attending the competition will get some insight and tips as they move on to high school.

"The hardest part would be perfecting our pieces to make them perfect so when you compete it's the best you can do," student Rafael Bryant said.

"There's a whole range of confidence that the students get just by being used to being in front of people strangers being persuasive and they really just get a lot of confidence in themselves and that plays out in their education in the classroom," advisor Nicole Jennison said.

High school students leave for the competition on Sunday.

The group of middle school kids will fly out to nationals on Tuesday.