BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Out of 213 teams from 34 states and 29 countries, the student debate team from Brother Rice High School is one of just 16 left in a global competition.

The Warriors won a selection in the Top 32 of the Bickel & Brewer/NYU International Public Policy Forum debate competition by submitting an essay on the topic of climate change that was then reviewed and chosen by a judging committee. After then winning a written debate contest against Montgomery Blair High School in Maryland in a unanimous decision, Brother Rice has moved on to the “Sweet 16.”

If Brother Rice can win another written debate against The Dalton School from New York, the Warriors will win an all-expense-paid trip to the IPPF debate finals April 12-14 in New York City. Those “Elite 8” schools will be announced Feb. 11.

“In an impressive display of writing and advocacy on the topic of climate change, the Brother Rice High School team has advanced to the next round of this global debate competition,” said William A.

Brewer III, partner at the law firm of Bickel & Brewer and founder of the IPPF. “These students will now compete in the ‘Sweet 16’ — only one round away from winning a trip to New York City to compete in the IPPF finals.”

Now in its 12th year, the IPPF gives high school debate students the opportunity to participate in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.

The competition is open to all schools worldwide, public and private, for free.

In the written rounds, each team is assigned a position (affirmative or negative), and the schools then volley papers back and forth via email.

The IPPF finals will give students the opportunity to supplement their written scholarship with oral advocacy. A panel of some of the world’s foremost experts in debate, business, law and politics will judge these oral debates and select the 2012-13 champion. The winning school takes home a $10,000 grand prize and the “Bickel & Brewer Cup.”