The Washington Arlington Catholic Forensic League is primarily a metropolitan Debate and Speech League open to all schools in the greater Washington area. It is the local unit of the National Catholic Forensic League which was established in 1951. Based upon the ideal of open membership, both the WACFL and the NCFL welcome public and private schools. The purpose of the WACFL/NCFL is to encourage and to assist in the development of articulate leaders through whose skills truth may be widely spread and become an influence in the life of the nation. Further, the purpose is to promote curricular and extracurricular speech and debate activities in all secondary schools in the nation.