▁by ▁Isa iah ▁Mc Pe ak , ▁with ▁development ▁cha ired ▁by ▁Dr . ▁Van ▁Sch alin ▁and ▁program med ▁by ▁Con nor ▁McK ay . ▁It ▁util izes ▁the ▁Ruby ▁Program ming ▁Language , ▁the ▁same ▁language ▁Sto a ▁uses ▁for ▁membership ▁and ▁tournament ▁registration . ▁ ▁National ▁Inv it ational ▁Tournament ▁of ▁Champions ▁Each ▁year ▁in ▁late ▁May ▁or ▁early ▁June , ▁the ▁Sto a ▁Board ▁of ▁Direct ors ▁hosts ▁the ▁National ▁Inv it ational ▁Tournament ▁of ▁Champions , ▁commonly ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁N IT OC . ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁methods ▁in ▁which ▁compet itors ▁may ▁ear n ▁an ▁inv itation ▁to ▁N IT OC . ▁The ▁first ▁method , ▁entitled ▁the ▁“ National ▁Inv it ational ▁Model ,” ▁involves ▁being ▁awarded ▁at ▁least ▁two ▁Green ▁Check ▁Mark s ▁on ▁Spe ech ran ks ▁in ▁one ▁or ▁more ▁events . ▁In ▁the ▁second ▁method , ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁“ State ▁Inv it ational ▁Model ,” ▁the ▁top ▁speaker ▁of ▁each ▁state ▁in ▁each ▁individual ▁event ▁qual ifies ▁for ▁an ▁inv itation , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁top ▁two ▁teams ▁in ▁Lincoln ▁Douglas ▁Deb ate ▁and ▁Team ▁Policy ▁Deb ate . ▁Part icip ation ▁at ▁N IT OC ▁requires ▁Sto a ▁membership . ▁Stud ents ▁may ▁comp ete ▁in ▁as ▁many ▁events ▁at ▁N IT OC ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁are ▁invited ▁by ▁either ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁inv it ational ▁models . ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁National ▁Inv it ational ▁Tournament ▁of ▁Champions , ▁held ▁in ▁Colorado ▁Spr ings , ▁Colorado