Bob Jones Debate Club in global finals

Bob Jones High School Debate Team qualified for competition with the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF). The photograph shows the 2014 team. CONTRIBUTED

MADISON – Students on the Debate Team at Bob Jones High School have advanced to “Round of 64” in the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF).

These 64 teams will compete for the $10,000 grand prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City in April 2016. Brewer Foundation and New York University are sponsoring the global competition.

The forum is the first and only international debate competition that gives high school students the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.

“Bob Jones High School should be proud of advancing in this international competition,” foundation founder and board chairman William A. Brewer III said. “These students now advance into the written elimination rounds – an exciting test of writing, academics and advocacy.”

To qualify, teams submitted essays that ‘affirmed’ or ‘negated’ the IPPF topic, “Resolved: Genetically modified organisms are essential to global food security.” A committee reviewed those essays to determine the Round of 64.

The top 64 teams represent schools from 24 U.S. states and 16 countries, including Tokyo, Japan; Rajkot, India; Gauteng, South Africa; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Geneva, Switzerland; and Singapore. Advancing teams will now participate in a single-elimination, written debate tournament.

The Bob Jones team will face International School of Geneva. To identify the Top 32 teams, judges will again evaluate essays.

The IPPF Finals give students the opportunity to participate in oral debates in front of some of the world’s foremost experts in debate, business, law and politics.

Brewer Foundation founded IPPF in 2001. Leading forensic agencies that endorse the competition include National Association for Urban Debate Leagues and Associated Leaders of Urban Debate Leagues.

The Brewer Foundation is a private, non-profit organization funded by companies, individuals and the national litigation firm of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors.

For more information, visit ippfdebate.com, Facebook/ippfdebate or Twitter @IPPF1.