Local Students Headed To International Debate Tournament

LAFAYETTE, CO -- A team of students from Lafayette's Peak to Peak Charter School have advanced to the "Elite 8" finals of the 18th Annual International Public Policy Forum global debate competition. Brandon Guo, Ayush Garg and Leonard Shearer will be headed to New York City for the April 27 competition where they will compete for a $10,000 prize and bragging rights as world champions.

It's been a long road to glory for these students. The competition began in the fall, when 165 teams from 15 countries submitted qualifying round essays on this year's topic: “Resolved: U.S. abdication of international leadership creates dangerous global instability." The 2,800-word essays were reviewed by a committee, which determined the top 64 qualifying teams.

Last November, the “Round of 64” teams began a single-elimination, written debate competition. Each team was assigned a position and then volleyed papers back and forth with another team over email for the next six weeks. A panel of judges reviewed the essays and selected the winning teams, who went participated in two more written-form semi-final rounds.

Peak to Peak will be facing students from schools in six U.S. states and India. Other finalists include Alpharetta High School from Alpharetta, Georgia; Delhi Public School from New Delhi, India; Hunter College High School from New York, New York; Jasper High School from Plano, Texas; New Hope Academy: Torrance from Torrance, California; Notre Dame High School from Sherman Oaks, California; and University School from Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

The IPPF gives high school students from 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 to promote academic achievement and public advocacy.