​Troy High School Advances to “Sweet 16” of IPPF Global Debate

Troy High School Advances to “Sweet 16” Round of IPPF Global Debate Competition

Debate teams from around the world entered the 2020-21 International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) competition, but only 16 remain – including a team of students from Troy High School in Troy, Michigan.

Sponsored by the Brewer Foundation and New York University, the IPPF is the first and only competition that gives high school students from around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy. By advancing, the students remain eligible to compete virtually in the IPPF Finals, when the IPPF World Champion will be awarded a $10,000 grand prize. The Troy team is the only team from Michigan to advance this round.

“These students analyzed and debated the complex and timely issue of artificial intelligence,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and a founder of the IPPF. “The remaining 16 teams have emerged to compete in one final written round – in hopes of competing virtually in oral debates on a global stage. Despite the challenges students around the globe are facing due to the pandemic, these students chose to participate in a highly competitive contest and have excelled.”

The IPPF’s 20th annual competition began in October, as more than 180 teams submitted qualifying round essays affirming or negating the IPPF topic, “Resolved: The benefits of artificial intelligence outweigh the harms.” Those essays were reviewed by a committee, which determined the top 64 teams based on the overall quality of each 2,800-word essay. The IPPF received more entries this year than it has since 2016 – making this year highly competitive.

In November, the top 64 teams began a single-elimination, written debate competition. Each team was assigned a position (affirmative or negative) and then volleyed papers back and forth with another team via email for the next six weeks. A panel of judges reviewed the essays in the order they were presented and selected the winning teams. In the “Round of 64,” Troy High School advanced over A&M Consolidated High School from College Station, Texas. In the “Top 32” round, Troy High School advanced over Kugnus Acts from Closter, New Jersey.

The “Sweet 16” round is now underway. Troy High School is competing against Millburn High School from Millburn, New Jersey. The top 16 teams represent schools from nine U.S. states and Austria, Bangladesh, Mongolia, and Slovakia:

• Vienna International School from Vienna, Austria
• Peak to Peak Charter School from Lafayette, Colorado
• Slovak National Team from Bratislava, Slovakia
• BASIS Scottsdale from Scottsdale, Arizona
• Troy High School from Troy, Michigan
• Millburn High School from Millburn, New Jersey
• Viqarunnisa Noon School and College from Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Potomac Oak from Rockville, Maryland
• John Handley High School from Winchester, Virginia
• Hobby School of Ulaanbaatar from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
• The Hockaday School from Dallas, Texas
• Hamilton High School from Chandler, Arizona
• Montgomery Blair High School from Silver Spring, Maryland
• Lambert High School from Suwanee, Georgia
• Ivy Bridge Academy from Carrollton, Georgia
• Davidson Academy of Nevada from Reno, Nevada

A On March 22, the “Elite 8” teams will be announced. If Troy High School advances, the team will compete virtually in the IPPF Finals on May 1, 2021. The IPPF Finals give students the opportunity to supplement their written scholarships with oral advocacy – competing in debates in front of some of the world’s foremost experts in business, law and politics. Judges will include Brewer and New York University President Emeritus John Sexton, among others. The winning team will take home the “Brewer Cup” and the $10,000 grand prize.

The IPPF will be holding the IPPF Finals competition virtually in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the IPPF competitors.

About the IPPF and the Brewer Foundation:

The IPPF was founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation and is now jointly administered with New York University. The program is available to all high schools around the world – public and private – for free. The IPPF is endorsed by leading forensic agencies, such as the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues, the International Debate Education Association, the Impact Coalition, Associated Leaders of Urban Debate Leagues, and the National Debate Coaches Association.

The Brewer Foundation is a private, non-profit organization funded by companies, individuals and the national litigation firm of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors. With offices in New York and Dallas, the Foundation has achieved widespread recognition for its efforts to create, fund and manage a variety of educational outreach programs.Visit the IPPF at www.ippfdebate.com, www.facebook.com/ippfdebate, on Twitter at @IPPF1, and on Instagram