Damien Memorial School Students to Compete in International Debate Contest Finals in New York City
Students Vie for $10,000 Grand Prize
April 24, 2024 – Students from Damien Memorial School in Honolulu have won an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to compete as finalists in the 23rd annual International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) – a global debate competition by the Brewer Foundation and New York University (NYU). The IPPF Finals will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at The Harold Pratt House. The Brewer Foundation is the charitable foundation of the Brewer law firm, founded in Dallas in 1984.
The Damien Memorial School team will be one of eight teams – representing schools from six U.S. states – competing for the $10,000 grand prize. The team consists of students Sam Atuatasi, Jethro Bumanglag, Elodie Cummings, Nalani Dela Cruz, Julia Gonzales, Caitlin Hallares, Keanu Longboy, Leila Macapagal, and Maryjoy Pacho. The team is coached by Phil Balmores.
“The IPPF is intended to be the most rigorous scholastic debate competition in the world,” says William A. Brewer III, chairman of the Brewer Foundation and co-founder of the IPPF. “It requires written and oral advocacy. The final eight teams spent months researching the debate topic and competing in written debates with other teams. Now, they will compete for the title of IPPF World Champion in oral debates at the IPPF Finals in New York City.”
“The IPPF is intended to be the most rigorous scholastic debate competition in the world,” says William A. Brewer III
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 debate competition was founded in 2001 by the Brewer Foundation to promote academic achievement and public advocacy.
The IPPF’s 23rd annual competition began in October 2023, as 311 teams, representing schools in 26 countries and 33 U.S. states, submitted qualifying round essays affirming or negating the IPPF topic, “Resolved: Governments should provide a universal basic income.” Those essays were reviewed by a committee, which determined the top 64 teams based on the overall quality.
In November, the “Round of 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 and selected the winning teams. The next two rounds also took place in written form.
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. 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 semifinals will be broadcast live on the IPPF’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ippfdebate, beginning at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, May 4. Viewers can watch the final debate beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET.
A competition bracket for the IPPF Finals is available on the IPPF website: www.ippfdebate.com.
The 2032-24 final eight teams are:
Grand Oaks High School, Spring, Texas
Ivy Bridge Academy, Johns Creek, Georgia
West Anchorage High School, Anchorage, Alaska
Hamilton High School, Chandler, Arizona
Davidson Academy of Nevada, Reno, Nevada
Coppell High School, Coppell, Texas
Damien Memorial School, Honolulu, Hawaii
Westwood High School, Austin, Texas
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, , or www.instagram.com/ippfdebate.