Local Media Celebrates IPPF, Advancing Students

March 7, 2023 – The Scottsdale Independent joined many other local news publications this week in celebrating the Brewer Foundation/NYU International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) and its student competitors.

The IPPF recently announced the advancing “Sweet 16” teams in this global debate contest. The teams remain eligible to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the IPPF Finals in New York City in May, where the IPPF World Champion will be awarded a $10,000 grand prize.

Founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation and now jointly administered with New York University, the IPPF is one of the largest and most competitive high school debate contests in the world.

Read the report.

Local Media in Pennsylvania and Georgia Report on Brewer Foundation / NYU Debate Competition

March 8, 2022 – Local media in Pennsylvania and Georgia reported on high school teams advancing to the “Sweet 16” round in the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF), a global debate competition sponsored by the Brewer Foundation and New York University.

The Pine Creek Journal reported on  a team of students from Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, advancing in the IPPF, the first and only contest giving high school students from around the world an opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy. The Journal reported that seniors Miles Brown, Matthew Farmar, Tadg Manna, Andrew Ni, Amish Sethi and Callie Stoltz make up the 2021-22 Pine-Richland High School team, coached by teacher Jeff Byko. To read more, click here.

Patch.com reported on Ivy Bridge Academy in Johns Creek, Georgia, advancing in the IPPF.

"These students analyzed and debated the role of the United States dollar in the world economy," said William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and a founder of the IPPF, Patch.com reported. "The 16 teams that remain will compete in another written round of debates – in hopes of advancing to the IPPF Finals in New York City."

The Ivy Bridge Academy team consists of the following students: Aalif Biswas, Aiden Kim, Akshaya Poonepalle, Alex Ko, Ethan Nam, Gene Yoon, Hailey Shon, Hanming Sun, Srihansika Hansi Thadiparthi, Irene Tang, Jason Eappen, Lynden Baek, Nayan Revankar, Nina Thakur, Noah Yoon, Omer Mujawar, Prakhar Gupta, Rikhil Ranjit, and Yugeshwar Muralishar. To read more, click here.

Media Takes Notice: Student Debaters Advance in Brewer Foundation / NYU Global Competition

February 28, 2022 – A New Jersey media report comments on an outstanding team of high school debaters from Livingston High School.

As reported in the news outlet TAP into Livingston, the Livingston students advanced to the “Sweet 16” round of the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) competition, sponsored by the Brewer Foundation and New York University. Founded in 2001, the IPPF is the first and only debate contest that gives high school students the opportunity to participate in written and oral debates on matters of public policy. 

The team is competing for a chance to make it to the “Elite 8” teams and compete for the $10,000 grand prize in New York City on April 30. The 16 advancing teams represent schools in nine U.S. states as well as Canada, Mongolia and Singapore.

According to IPPF founder William Brewer III, a partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, the students competing this year “analyzed and debated the role of the United States dollar in the world economy.” They are debating the topic, “Resolved: On balance, the hegemony of the United States dollar is detrimental to the world economy.”

To read more, click here.

Brewer Foundation Announces Sweet 16 Teams Advancing in IPPF Competition

February 15, 2022 – The Brewer Foundation and New York University are pleased to announce the results of the “Top 32” round of the 21st annual International Public Policy Forum (IPPF). The advancing Sweet 16 teams remain in the running to win a $10,000 grand prize. 

The IPPF is the only contest that gives high school students around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy. The competition was founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation, a private, non-profit organization funded by companies, individuals and the national litigation firm of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors.

“These students analyzed and debated the role of the United States dollar in the world economy,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and a founder of the IPPF. “The 16 teams that remain will compete in another written round of debates – in hopes of advancing to the IPPF Finals in New York City.”

The IPPF’s 21st annual competition began in October, as teams submitted qualifying round essays affirming or negating the IPPF topic, “Resolved: On balance, the hegemony of the United States dollar is detrimental to the world economy.” Those essays were reviewed by a committee, which determined the top 64 teams based on the overall quality of each 2,800-word essay.

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. A panel of judges reviewed the essays in the order they were presented and selected the winning teams. The Top 32 teams were selected, and then narrowed in another round to the Sweet 16. The Sweet 16 round is now underway.

On March 24, the Elite 8 teams will be announced. The advancing teams will compete in the IPPF Finals on April 30, 2022. The IPPF Finals give students the opportunity to supplement their written scholarship with oral advocacy – competing in debates in front of some of the world’s foremost experts in business, law and politics. The winning team will take home the “Brewer Cup” and the $10,000 grand prize.

To view a list of advancing teams, click here.

International Public Policy Forum Announces Top 32 Teams

January 3, 2022 - The Brewer Foundation / New York University International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) today announced the teams that will advance into the Top 32 round of the 2021-22 competition. Advancing teams will continue to debate the topic, "Resolved: On balance, the hegemony of the United States dollar is detrimental to the world economy." 

Founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation, the IPPF is the first and only competition that gives students around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy. The contest is jointly administered by the Brewer Foundation and New York University, and available to all high school students for free. 

The IPPF begins annually in October, as teams submit a 2,800-word qualifying round essay either affirming or negating the IPPF topic. Judges evaluate each essay, and the top 64 teams advance into a single-elimination, written debate competition.

In the top 64 round, schools volleyed papers back and forth via e-mail. Judges reviewed the essays in the order they were presented (affirmative constructive, negative constructive, affirmative rebuttal, negative rebuttal) and selected the advancing teams. The process will begin anew as the "Top 32" teams compete for their chance to advance to the "Sweet 16" round.

In March, the "Elite 8" teams will be announced. These teams win all-expenses-paid trips to New York City to compete during IPPF Finals Weekend, which begins April 29, 2022. During the finals, teams supplement their written advocacy with oral argumentation. The IPPF World Champion is awarded a $10,000 grand prize. 

To view the list of advancing teams, click here.

Slovak National Team Students Crowned Champion of International Public Policy Forum Debate Contest

Slovak National Team in Bratislava, Slovakia, bested a field of high schools from around the globe Saturday, May 1, winning the 20th Annual Brewer Foundation/New York University International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) debate competition. As the IPPF World Champion, Slovak National Team wins a $10,000 grand prize.

The IPPF is a one-of-a-kind academic collaboration between a law firm’s charitable foundation and a major university. Founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation, and now jointly administered by NYU, the IPPF is the only competition that gives high school students around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.

The IPPF Finals took place virtually in 2021 for the first time in the competition’s history due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Competing teams were the final “Elite Eight” to emerge from a field of 180 teams, representing high schools in 19 countries and 25 U.S. states. The teams debated the topic: “Resolved: The benefits of artificial intelligence outweigh the harms.”

“Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, these students participated in the IPPF and prevailed – attaining the title of IPPF World Champion,” said William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and founder of the IPPF. “They impressed the judges with their research, writing and advocacy skills as they dealt with the issue of artificial intelligence. We are proud to celebrate the Slovak National Team and the thousands of students who took part in the IPPF’s 20th annual competition.”

In the IPPF Finals, Slovak National Team advanced over Peak to Peak Charter School from Lafayette, Colorado, in the quarterfinal round and Potomac Oak from Rockville, Maryland, in the semifinal round, before facing Montgomery Blair High School from Silver Spring, Maryland, in the IPPF Finals.

The Slovak team was represented by students Martin Janco, Soňa Koniarová, Ema Križanová, Anfisa Kryvtsun, Natália Michalcová, Tereza Okálová, Ina Opartyová, Timotej Oršula, and Mário Valek. The team was coached by Timofej Kožuchov and Samuel Nvota. 

As runner-up team, Montgomery Blair High School receives a $3,500 prize. Coached by Leigh Tinsley, the team members were Jonathan Wen, Alex Jiang, and Shariar Vaez-Ghaemi.

To learn more about the IPPF, visit www.ippfdebate.com. 

Media Reports on Teams Advancing to IPPF Finals

Several media outlets reported on teams of high school students advancing to the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) Finals, a global debate contest sponsored by the Brewer Foundation and New York University.  

Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors Partner and IPPF founder William A. Brewer III says, “Despite the challenges students around the globe are facing due to the pandemic, these students chose to participate in a rigorous academic competition and have excelled. We look forward to seeing them compete — and celebrating their achievement — during the IPPF Finals.” 

The Troy Times reported that a team from Troy High School in Michigan advanced to the finals, oral debates which will take place virtually.  

“It’s been a unique experience, because we’ve faced three teams so far, and each team has been almost entirely different," said Troy High School senior Sohan Vittalam. "Even if we go in with the same sides, the arguments they make are entirely new, and it’s a very adaptive competition. I think the different viewpoints, you can tell the different things groups prioritize."

Colorado Hometown Weekly reported on a team from Peak to Peak Charter School in Colorado advancing to the finals.    

“I think it was kind of surreal,” said Peak to Peak junior Alvina Zhang. “It was a lot of hours of work and having to have a lot of brainpower and dedication to the essays, so I think it really paid off in the end.”  

Read more here and here.