Two debate teams from Bob Jones advance in international debate forum
These members of the Bob Jones High School Debate Team earned honors recently in a meet at Decatur Heritage Christian Academy. (CONTRIBUTED)
MADISON – Two debate teams from Bob Jones High School have advanced to the “Top 32” round of the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF), sponsored by Bickel & Brewer/New York University.
This international debate competition is the first and only competition that gives high school students around the world a venue for written and oral debates on issues of public policy, Katherine Leal Unmuth said. Unmuth handles media relations for the Bickel & Brewer Foundation in Dallas.
Bob Jones was the only Alabama school to advance. The Madison students are eligible to win a $10,000 grand prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to the foundation finals in New York City in May.
Scott Seeley sponsors the debate teams at Bob Jones.
“These students have distinguished themselves as among the best in this unique test of research, writing and advocacy,” William A. Brewer III said. Brewer is a partner with Bickel & Brewer and an IPPF founder.
The 2015 debate topic was “Resolved: Mass surveillance is not a justified method of governmental intelligence gathering.” This year, 243 teams representing schools in 32 U.S. states and 21 countries submitted 2,800-word essays for the qualifying round. Using the essays, a judging committee then chose the Top 64 teams.
To advance to the Top 64, Bob Jones team no. 1 defeated Academy of Higher Learning in Tarzana, Calif. Bob Jones Team no. 2 outranked Nanyang Girls’ High School from Singapore. Other Top 32 teams hail from across the United States, British Columbia and Manitoba in Canada, Singapore, Taiwan and Czech Republic.
During the Top 32 rounds, Bob Jones team no. 1 will compete against the NYC iSchool in New York City. Team no. 2 will compete against Carroll High School from Fort Wayne, Ind.
Officials will announce the “Sweet 16” on Feb. 12 in New York City.
Forty-four students participate in Debate Club at Bob Jones. For more information, visit ippfdebate.com.
