Kate and Kessy are going to  Minneapolis for the 2026 Youth NABC, July 16–18!

Young bridge players from across the globe will come together for three days of competition, learning and fun.

The Youth North American Bridge Championships is the ultimate summer event for players under 21. They’ll play daily games designed for both beginners and experienced competitors, enjoy free lunch each day and make friends who love bridge as much as they do. They’ll finish the weekend with an awards ceremony celebrating top performances.

Every participant plays free and all they need is an ACBL Junior membership, which costs just $5. Scholarships, trophies and bragging rights are all on the line.

Susan Okonsky has taken charge of teaching Duplicate Bridge at Kalispell Middle School for the second consecutive year. Three days a week, across four different teachers' classrooms, Susan and her team of volunteers help students "Do the Math".  Currently, one math class per week is dedicated to the challenges of learning and playing this complex card game.

Near the end of the school year, a national essay contest was held by JumpStart Bridge, the foundation that donates supplies and curriculum for the school program.  One of the sixth grade students, Kate Rogers, won 1^st place and an all-expense paid trip for two (she’s taking her mother, Amanda) to Minneapolis for the YNABC tournament.

The members of the Flathead Valley Bridge Center generously stepped up to fund her partner, Kessy Munday, too.  Over $1400 was raised for airfare, meals, and any other expenses.  The girls embarked on a rigorous lesson schedule of three to five sessions per week in preparation.