In 2009, the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation provided a generous grant to the National Forensic League to promote Public Forum Debate across the country. In addition to sponsoring the Rupe Foundation Qualifying Series of Public Forum Topics in February, March, and April, the Rupe Foundation grant also created this research portal to provide the highest quality educational research resources and exclusive interviews to the debate community and the public at large.

Additionally, over four hundred high school students from every state in the country will be named Rupe Scholars and will qualify to compete at the 2010 NFL National Speech & Debate Tournament held in Kansas City, Missouri from June 13th to June 18th. The NFL National Tournament is the largest high school competition in the world with over 3,500 qualifying competitors pulled from a national field of 95,000 participating students. Nearly one thousand high schools will participate in this year’s competition.

The Rupe Scholars will compete in Arthur N. Rupe Foundation Public Forum Debates at the NFL National Tournament where the top fourteen teams will receive generous college scholarships as part of the grant. The Arthur N. Rupe Foundation Championship Round of Public Forum Debate will be held at the KCI Expo at 3pm on June 18th, 2010 and will be open to the public. At 7pm, the Arthur N. Rupe Champion will be announced as part of the NFL Awards Ceremony.

View the complete list of Arthur N. Rupe Foundation Scholars from around the country.