The Carlos and Malú Alvarez Academic WorldQuest™ National Competition honors the tremendous dedication and philanthropic support of WACA National Board member Carlos Alvarez and his wife Malú to our flagship program and the Academic WorldQuest Endowment Fund. The national competition is attended by more than 250 of the nation’s most promising high school students, along with their parents, teachers, and chaperones. The 5-hour AWQ competition is a unique opportunity for many students to visit the nation’s capital for the first time.
AWQ Competition History
Winners
1st Place: Carmel High School – Indiana Council on World Affairs
2nd Place: Miami Beach Senior High School – World Affairs Council of Miami
3rd Place: Aubrey Rogers High School – Naples Council on World Affairs
The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2026 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Monday, April 27, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: Carlos & Malu Alvarez, United States Institute of Peace, FPA, Glenn & Mary Jane Creamer. Turkish Airlines, Council on Foreign Relations, Financial Times, Dr. Rich & Ruth Crepage, Osmar Abib / SeracFund, Dr. Sherry Mueller
2025-2026 AWQ Topics
- Pop Culture and Soft Power in International Relations
- The FIFA World Cup
- Migration and Immigration
- The U.S Constitution and Foreign Policy
- The Belt and Road Initiative
- Tariffs and Trade
- Coffee and Chocolate: A Global Perspective
- Nuclear Policy Issues
- Focus Country: Australia
- Current Events
Winners
First Place: Cedar Cliff High School – World Affairs Council of Harrisburg
Rory Gannon, Jackson Kane, Rayna Johnson, Timothy Valentine
Second Place: Carnegie Vanguard High School – World Affairs Council of Greater Houston
Shanti Majumder, Brandon Strug, Siddharth (Sid) Dasari, Coulson Batch
Third Place: Flower Mound High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Jaden Myung, Mutasim Mohammed, Krish Kulakarni, Shiven Diwaker
The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2025 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 27, at the Westin City Center Ballroom in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: Carlos & Malu Alvarez Endowment, United States Institute of Peace, Foreign Policy Association, Turkish Airlines, Council on Foreign Relations, Financial Times, Dr. Rich & Ruth Crepage, Osmar Abib / SeracFund, Dr. Sherry Mueller.
2024-2025 AWQ Topics
- The USA and Foreign Languages
- Space and National Security
- Nontraditional Approaches to Foreign Policy
- Music and Globalization
- Indigenous Peacebuilding
- Critical Minerals in Africa
- Borders and Boundaries
- Mexico
- The Future of NATO and European Security
- AI and American National Security
- Current Events
Winners
First Place: duPont Manual High School – World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana
Roscoe Dalton, Owen Hartmann, Caleb Masterson, Josephine Wright
Second Place: El Dorado High School – Orange County World Affairs Council
Bailey Alam, Arya Darvish, Greeva Ramani, Marlowe Snapp
Third Place: Carnegie Vanguard High School – World Affairs Council of Greater Houston
James Coulson Batchelor, Shanti Majumder, Justin Mineman, Brandon Myles Strug
The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2024 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Friday, April 19, at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: Carlos & Malu Alvarez, United States Institute of Peace, Foreign Policy Association, Thinkubator Global, Dr. Rich & Ruth Crepage, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, SeracFund, Helen Haig.
2023-2024 AWQ Topics
- NATO – 75th Anniversary
- Demographic Dividends – Population Shift in Africa
- The Global South
- Sports and Diplomacy
- Country in Focus: South Korea
- Promoting a Green Europe
- Women’s Contributions to Track II Diplomacy
- Navigating AI: The Global Workforce
- Great Decisions
- Mideast Realignment
- Climate Technology & Competition
- Science Across Borders
- U.S.-China Trade Rivalry
- NATO’s Future
- Understanding Indonesia
- High Seas Treaty
- Pandemic Preparedness
- Current Events
Winners
First Place: Plano West High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Gabriel Bo, Kyle Letterer, Madeline Tsao, Justin Zhu
Second Place: Carnegie Vanguard High School – World Affairs Council of Greater Houston
James Coulson Batchelor, Shane Brewer, Siddharth Dasari, Shanti Majumder, Brandon Myles Strug
Third Place: Keystone School – World Affairs Council of San Antonio
Julia Doski, Ishan Kanaskar, Andy Ngu, Lorenzo Ruiz, Bill Spedding
The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2023 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 29, at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: Carlos and Malu Alvarez, Foreign Policy Association, United States Institute of Peace, Johnson Sterling, International Labour Organization.
2022-2023 AWQ Topics
- Securing the Future of The World’s Wildlife
- Arctic Council
- Atrocity Prevention and Accountability
- Food Insecurity
- Economic Sanctions
- Great Decisions
- Changing Demographics
- Outer Space
- Climate Change
- Russia
- Myanmar and ASEAN
- The Quad Alliance
- Industrial Policy
- Drug Policy in Latin America
- Country in Focus – Ethiopia
- Future of Supply Chains
- Autocracy vs. Democracy
- Current Events
Winners and Prizes
First Place: Keystone School – World Affairs Council of San Antonio
Julia Doski, Jack Dougherty, Andy Ngu, and Lorenzo Ruiz
Second Place: Plano West High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Gabriel Bo, Kelly Hu, Kyle Letterer, Madeline Tsao and Justin Zhu
Third Place: Palm Desert High School – World Affairs Council of the Desert
Joseph Lehman, Evan Lindemann, Shafaa Munjal, and Ian Randolph
2022 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on April 30th, at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: Foreign Policy Association, International Labour Organization, Johnson Sterling, United States Institute of Peace
2021-2022 AWQ Topics
- Where Climate and Migration Meet
- Afghanistan: End of the 20-Year U.S. -Led Intervention
- Human-Centered Agenda to the Future of Work
- CDC and the Global Health Agenda
- Great Decisions
- Global Supply Chains and National Security
- Persian Gulf Security Issues
- Brexit and the European Union
- Struggles over the Melting Arctic
- China’s Role in Africa
- The Korean Peninsula
- Roles of International Organizations in a Global Pandemic
- The End of Globalization
- 21st Century Money: Dollars to Digital Currencies
- Working for Peace Through Legacies of War: The Case of Vietnam
- Insecurity in China’s Neighborhood
- Current Events
Winners
First Place: Plano West High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Leo Yu, Kelly Hu, Charles Hou, Neil Gupta
Second Place: Allen High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Cody Rushing, Rhea Kanuparthi, Dhanish Parimalakumar, Huy Truong
Third Place: Rampart High School – Colorado Springs World Affairs Council
Peyton Smith, Arez Khidr, Rohan Gihil, Atharva Vispute
**COVID-19 Update: The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2021 Academic WorldQuest National Competition, was held virtually. This decision came after carefully monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., the World Health Organization’s declaration of a pandemic, hearing about local restrictions on high school student travel, and conversations within the Network.
Thanks to our sponsors: United States Institute of Peace, The Gambrinius Company, International Labour Organization, Johnson Sterling, Foreign Policy Association, State of Qatar.
2021-2022 AWQ Topics
- Global Protests
- Shifting Sands: Arab Spring 10 Years On
- International Labour Organization
- US Foreign Service in the 21st Century
- Great Decisions
- Global Supply Chains and National Security
- Persian Gulf Security Issues
- Brexit and the European Union
- Struggles Over the Melting Arctic
- China’s Role in Africa
- The Korean Peninsula
- Roles of International Organizations in a Global Pandemic
- The End of Globalization?
- Exploring Peace in a World of Conflict
- Fraying Alliances
- Post-COVID Economy
- Country in Focus: Uzbekistan
**COVID-19 Update: The in-person Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2020 Academic WorldQuest National Competition, originally scheduled for April 24-25, was canceled and was not postponed or held virtually. This difficult decision came after carefully monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., the World Health Organization’s declaration of a pandemic, hearing about local restrictions on high school student travel, and conversations within the Network. WACA congratulated the students and Councils on all their hard work throughout the 2019-2020 AWQ season.
Nancy Lindborg, President and CEO of the United States Institute of Peace, delivered a virtual keynote address to the Council Network and all Academic WorldQuest students and teachers on May 28, 2020: “COVID and Conflict, Pandemics and Peace: The Road Ahead.” In light of the current pandemic and the unfortunate but necessary cancelation of the Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2020 Academic WorldQuest National Competition, Nancy addressed the students and teachers along with the national audience. She explored the unprecedented threats the coronavirus poses to fragile states and the important opportunities the pandemic offers to help fragile states recover better. A question-and-answer session followed Nancy’s remarks.
2019-2020 AWQ Topics
- U.S.-Russia Relations
- Country in Focus: South Korea
- Preventing Extremism in Fragile States
- Oceans: The World’s Garbage Dump
- Great Decisions
- Refugees and Global Migration
- The Middle East: Regional Disorder
- Nuclear Negotiations: Back to the Future?
- The Rise of Populism in Europe
- Decoding U.S.-China Trade
- Cyber Conflict and Geopolitics
- The United States and Mexico: Partnership Tested
- State of the State Department and Diplomacy
- Brexit and the EU
- China’s Belt & Road Initiative
- Germany: 30 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall
- Qatar and the Future of the Gulf Cooperation Council
- Current Events
Winners and Prizes
First Place: Jasper High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Pranav Pattatathunaduvil, Renee Li, Adithya Karthik, and Michelle Ma
An all-expenses-paid Study Tour to Doha, Qatar – joined by the 10 winners of the WACA 2019 Qatar Essay & Video Contest and two WACA representatives.
Second Place: duPont Manual High School – World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana
Aditya Mehta, Agharnan Gandhi, Andrew Smith, and Jackson Arnold
Third Place: Mount Academy – World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley
Alec Koppschall, Karilyn Domer, Kent Thomson, and Heidi Keiderling
Competition Details
A welcome reception was held on Friday, April 26, at the Qatar-America Institute. Photos available here.
The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2019 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 27, at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC. Photos available here and here.
Thank you to our sponsors: The Embassy of the State of Qatar, The Gambrinus Company, The United States Institute of Peace, Johnson+Sterling, the Foreign Policy Association, Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, and NATO.
2018-2019 AWQ Topics
- Country in Focus: Qatar
- How to Deal With North Korea
- Global Refugee and Migration Crisis
- #WeAreNATO – The Alliance at 70
- Great Decisions
- Waning of Pax Americana?
- Russia’s Foreign Policy
- China’s Geopolitics
- Media and Foreign Policy
- Turkey: Partner in Crisis
- U.S. Global Engagement and the Military
- South Africa’s Fragile Democracy
- Global Health Issues
- Japan-U.S. Relations
- Space Policy
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Bridging Divides to Build Peace
- Current Events
Winners and Prizes
First place: Plano West Senior High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Richard Guo, Sandipan Nath, Cindy Hao, and Christina Lu
Microsoft® Surface Book 2 HN4-00001 13.5″ 2-In-1 Laptop
Watch the Dallas/Fort Worth NBC channel’s story on the winning team!
Second place: Palm Desert High School – World Affairs Council of the Desert
Matthew Chang, Patricia Dan, Danielle Hjerpe, and Joshua Phillips
Dell XPS 13″ 2-in-1 laptops
Third place: Indian Hill High School – World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky
Mark Kholodenko, Llyona Lallement, Radu Dragomirescu, and Asher Weinstein
Competition Details
A welcome reception was held on Friday, April 27, at the United States Institute of Peace. Photos available here and here.
The 2018 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 28, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: The Gambrinus Company, The United States Institute of Peace, Johnson+Sterling, the Foreign Policy Association, and Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA.
2017-2018 AWQ Topics
- NAFTA
- ASEAN at 50
- India’s Bid for Global Power
- Combating Climate Change
- Cybersecurity
- Saudi Arabia
- Great Decisions
- The Future of Europe
- Trade and Politics
- Conflict in the South China Sea
- Saudi Arabia in Transition
- U.S. Foreign Policy and Petroleum
- Latin America’s Political Pendulum
- Prospects for Afghanistan and Pakistan
- Nuclear Security
- The Peacebuilding Toolkit
- America’s Diplomats
- Current Events
Winners and Prizes
First Place: Plano West Senior High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Christina Lu, Richard Guo, Cindy Hao, and Sandipan Nath
$3,000 Scholarship for each student towards CIEE Summer Study Abroad Program
Second Place: Millburn High School – International Center of the Capital Region
Danny Rosen, Isaac Kamber, Victoria Mak, and Katherine Tai
$2,000 Scholarship for each student towards CIEE Summer Study Abroad Program
Third Place: duPont Manual High School – World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana
Mark Raj, Agharnan Gandhi, Abilash Thout, and Aditya Mehta
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, April 28, was held at the United States Institute of Peace. Photos available here Album 1 and Album 2. Check out guest speaker Omar El Aawar‘s well-received presentation entitled “My Story.” El Aawar is the founder of INSPIRING ARABS and an AWQ 2015 Alum.
The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2017 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 29, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: The Gambrinus Company, The United States Institute of Peace, Johnson+Sterling, Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, and Association of Professional School of International Affairs.
2016-2017 AWQ Topics
- Global Megacities
- Great Decisions
- Middle East Alliances
- The Rise of ISIS
- The Future of Kurdistan
- Migration
- The Koreas
- The United Nations
- Climate Change
- Cuba and the U.S.
- Peace and Conflict in Today’s World
- Current Events
- European Union
- Countering Violent Extremism
- Turkey
- Combatting Infectious Disease
- China
- Women in Technology
Winners and Prizes
First Place: Keystone School – World Affairs Council of San Antonio
Christopher Zhu, Emily Ye, Katie Mansfield, and Nabil Kapasi
$3,000 Scholarship for each student towards CIEE Summer Study Abroad Program
Second Place: Saint Edward’s School – World Affairs Council of Palm Beach
Fawaz Naeem, Katie Alerte, Kishore Chundi, and Zachary Alerte
$2,000 Scholarship for each student towards CIEE Summer Study Abroad Program
Third Place: Plano West Senior High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Ankit Reddy, Inan Sinha, Noah Schochet, and Varsha Menon
The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2016 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 23, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: The Gambrinus Company, The United States Institute of Peace, Johnson+Sterling, Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, and Association of Professional School of International Affairs.
2015-2016 AWQ Topics
- NATO
- Privacy in the Digital Age
- International Trade and Finance
- Current Events
- Asia Matters for America
- The Arctic
- Food Security
- Organization of American States
- Great Decisions
- Russia and the Near Abroad
- Privacy in the Digital Age
- Sectarianism in the Middle East
- India Changes Course
- U.S. Policy Toward Africa
- Syria’s Refugee Crisis
- Human Trafficking in the 21st Century
- Brazil’s Metamorphosis
- Sultanate of Oman
Winners and Prizes
First Place: duPont Manual High School – World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana
Madan Subheeswar, Matthew Raj, Niveita Khandkar, and Shravan Ravishankar
$2,500 Scholarship for each student towards CIEE Summer Study Abroad Program
Second Place: Keystone School – World Affairs Council of San Antonio
Christopher Zhu, Emily Ye, Katie Mansfield, and Nabil Kapasi
$1,000 Scholarship for each student towards CIEE Summer Study Abroad Program
Third Place: Shepton High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Ankit Reddy, Inan Sinha, Noah Schochet, and Sharon Jiang
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, April 24, was held at the EU Ambassador’s Residence with remarks from H.E. David O’Sullivan, Ambassador of the European Union to the U.S.
The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2015 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 25, at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: The Gambrinus Company, NATO, Johnson+Sterling, Investment Company Institute Education Foundation, Carlson Family Foundation, Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), European Union Delegation to the U.S., and Foreign Affairs.
2014-2015 AWQ Topics
- Russia/Eurasia
- Youth, Jobs, and Social Unrest
- Food and Water
- Asia and the New Global Economy
- Great Decisions
- Defense Technology
- Israel and the U.S.
- Turkey’s Challenges
- Islamic Awakening
- Energy Independence
- Food and Climate
- China’s Foreign Policy
- U.S. Trade Policy
- Millenium Development Goals: 2015 and Beyond
- Human Trafficking
- Africa Rising
- Future of Energy
- Current Events
Winners and Prizes
First Place: Plano West Senior High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Catherine Zhang, Jeffrey Chang, Sidharth Kapur, and Qjanqian Yang
12-month online subscription to Rosetta Stone Language Learning
Second Place: Keystone School – World Affairs Council of San Antonio
Christopher Zhu, Emily Ye, Katie Mansfield, and Nabil Kapasi
6-month online subscription to Rosetta Stone Language Learning
Third Place: Georgetown Day School – World Affairs Council of DC
Amenah El Sharif, Hala Mattar, Mari Khaled Ezzat, and Zeina Gohar
SONY DSC
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, April 25, was held at the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore with remarks from Ambassador Ashok Kumar Mirpuri, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the U.S., and Tania Koh, First Secretary.
The 2014 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 26, at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: Rosetta Stone, Embassy of the Republic of Singapore, One, Foreign Affairs, Bill and Judy Wheelock, and Michael Phillip.
2013-2014 AWQ Topics
- Cybersecurity
- U.S. Energy Policy
- Global Environmental Issues
- Global Economic Realignment
- Middle East
- U.S. Education
- UN Millenium Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
- Global Health
- Geography
- Current Events
Winners and Prizes
First Place: Plano West Senior High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Carlos Molina, Jeffrey Chang, Jonathan Huang, and Samuel Chang
Subscription to Gallup’s WorldView tool
Second Place: Community School of Naples – Naples Council on World Affairs
Jose Sandoval, Kara Bressler, Mark McElwaine, and Max Bressler
Subscription to Gallup’s WorldView tool
Third Place: Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School – Richmond World Affairs Council
Christine Gao, Christopher Benos, John Metz, and Kevin Yuan
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, April 26, was held at Georgetown University with a panel discussion on “From Graduation to DC: Paths to a Career in Foreign Policy” featuring Kelsey Hartigan, Nuclear Threat Initiative, Adam Johnson, U.S. Department of State, and Jackie Quiñones, House Foreign Affairs Committee Staff.
The 2013 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 27, at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: Exxon Mobil, Merrill Lynch, New Mind Education, U.S. Department of State, Weber Shandwick, Gallup, Foreign Policy, and Woodrow Wilson international Center for Scholars.
2012-2013 AWQ Topics
- U.S. Education: Competing Globally
- U.S. Economic Competitiveness
- U.S. Energy Policy
- Middle East
- Afghanistan/Pakistan
- China
- UN Millenium Goals: Environmental Sustainability
- Geography
- Current Events
- Cuban Missile Crisis: 50th Anniversary
Winners and Prizes
First Place: Plano West Senior High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Angela Meng, Manideep Ravi, Patricia Chen, and Taylor A’Latorre
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 420 laptop
Second Place: Keystone School – World Affairs Council of San Antonio
Daniel Quintero, Drew, Schaffer, Eric Duan, and Garrett Hinck
Lenovo A1 IdeaPad tablet
Third Place: Walpole High School – WorldBoston
John Kelsey, Jungbin Lim, Kevin Delaney, and Ross Bubly
Lenovo A1 IdeaPad tablet
Fourth Place: Desert Christian Academy – World Affairs Council of the Desert
Christie Matthews, Georgie Matthews, Hunter Huria, and William Nelson
Lenovo A1 IdeaPad tablet
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, April 20, was held at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China with remarks from Ambassador Zhang Yesui, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the U.S.
The 2012 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 21, at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, DC.
Thank you to our sponsors: Exxon Mobil, NATO, and Lenovo.
2011-2012 AWQ Topics
- U.S. Education: Competing Globally
- U.S. Energy Policy
- U.S. Economic Competitiveness
- Middle East
- Afghanistan/Pakistan
- China
- NATO
- UN Millenium Goals: Child Health
- Azerbaijan
- Current Events
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, April 29, was held at European Union Delegation to the U.S.
The 2011 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 30, at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, DC. Following the competition, a panel discussion was held on “Europe: Lessons for Managing Global Change” featuring Fran Burwell, The Atlantic Council, Myles Geiran, Embassy of Ireland, David Bailey, Exxon Mobil, and Jonathan Parish, NATO.
Thank you to our sponsors: Exxon Mobil and NATO.
2010-2011 AWQ Topics
- Energy
- World Religions
- Great Decisions
- The Special Envoy in American Foreign Policy
- Halting Atrocities in Kenya
- Transnational Crime: Globalization’s Shadowy Stepchild
- China Looks at the World: The World Looks at China
- The Global Financial Crisis and Its Effects
- Europe’s ‘Far East’: The Uncertain Frontier
- The U.S. and the Persian Gulf
- Enhancing Security Through Peacebuilding
- Freedom of the Press
- Milennium Goals: Gender Equality
- Global Governance/International Organizations
- Europe
- Global Health
- Ireland
- Current Events
Winners and Prizes
First Place: duPont Manual High School – World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky
Brendan Croom, Evan Hollander, John Tamplin, and Vishnu Kadiyala
$1,000 scholarship
Second Place: J.R. Masterman High School – World Affairs Council of Philadelphia
Alba Baze, Kathleen McCarthy, Kirsten Lau, and Suneeta Kartha
Third Place: North Buncombe High School – World Affairs Council of Western North Carolina
Dylan Peifer, Jose Maldonado, Kelsey Keller, and Tyler Jacon
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, April 23, was held at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.
The 2010 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 24, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC followed by a dinner reception at the National 4H Youth Conference Center featuring a West African dance performance by the Coyaba Dance Theater Company.
WACA provided the students with a tour and panel presentation on genocide at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on Sunday, April 25.
Thank you to our sponsors: Exxon Mobil, Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, and The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.
2009-2010 AWQ Topics
- Oman
- Migration
- Genocide
- Pandemics
- Great Decisions
- The U.S. and Rising Powers
- Afghanistan and Pakistan
- Energy and the Global Economy
- The Arctic Age
- Egypt: Key Ally in the Middle East
- Global Food Crisis
- Cuba on the Verge
- Human Rights in a New Era: Wars for Peace?
- World Music
- World Cup
- Food Production
- Current Events
- Islands of the Caribbean
Winners and Prizes
First Place: duPont Manual High School – World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky
Brendan Croom, Evan Hollander, John Tamplin, and Vishnu Kadiyala
Scholarship check
Second Place: J.R. Masterman High School – World Affairs Council of Philadelphia
Alba Baze, Christopher Carroll, Marisa McGarry, and Suneeta Kartha
Scholarship check
Third Place: Plano West Senior High School – World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
Curtis Feronti, Evan Hadfield, Evan Rosenfield, and Shravik Sethi
Scholarship check
Fourth Place: Billings Skyview – Montana World Affairs Council
Amanda Zellar, Anders Landgren, Lance Pedersen, and Laramy Ayers
Scholarship check
Fifth Place: Ronald Reagan High School – World Affairs Council of San Antonio
Clayton Condie, Daanish Zaidi, Margaret Giltner, and Michael Mancini
Scholarship check
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, April 3, was held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
The 2009 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 4, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC followed by a dinner reception at The Renaissance Hotel featuring featuring remarks from Georg Schulze Zumkley, Deputy Director of the German Information Center USA.
Thank you to our sponsors: Exxon Mobil, Michael Maibach and the Maibach Foundation, German Information Center USA, and Naples Council on World Affairs.
2008-2009 AWQ Topics
- Population Issues in Developing Countries
- Water
- Alternative Fuels
- Biotechnology and Genetics
- Connectivity
- Globalization
- Transnational Crime
- Great Decisions
- Iraq
- The EU at 50
- Blacklisting the Enemy
- Russia
- U.S. Defense Policy
- Latin America
- U.S.-China Economic Relations
- Foreign Aid and Philanthropy
- Current Events
- Germany
Winners and Prizes
First Place: NC School of Science and Math – International Affairs Council of Raleigh
Jeremy Merrill, Mikal Drye, William Furr, and Zachary DeLarosa
$1,000 from the Maibach Foundation
Second Place: Oley Valley High School – World Affairs Council of Greater Reading
AJ Mell, Amanda Swartz, Bryan Shearer, and Kate Kemmerer
$500 from the Maibach Foundation
Third Place: duPont Manual High School – World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana
Nathan Nash, Sean Fitzpatrick, Sean Healey, and Will Tamplin
$250 from the Maibach Foundation
Fourth Place: Charter School of Wilmington – World Affairs Council of Wilimington
Henry Gorman, Judson Kempton, Neeraj Vijay, and Rajarajan Vel
$150 from the Maibach Foundation
Fifth Place: Scarsdale High School – World Affairs Forum (Stamford)
David Berke, Jason Goodman, Reid Bagwell, and Sam Roth
$100 from the Maibach Foundation
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, April 4, was held at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The 2008 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 5, at the National Association of Home Builders in Washington, DC followed by a dinner reception at The Hyatt Regency with remarks from Ambassador (ret.) Ronald Neumann, President of the American Academy of Diplomacy.
Thank you to our sponsors: Exxon Mobil, Michael Maibach and the Maibach Foundation, American Society of International Law, The People Speak, and Naples Council on World Affairs.
2007-2008 AWQ Topics
- Countries
- Current Events
- People in the News
- Great Decisions
- Middle East
- Climate
- Mexico
- Migration
- South Africa
- War Crimes
- Central Asia
- Children
- Flags
- East Asia
- Organization of American States
- Elections
- International Migration
- UN Peacekeeping Operations
Winners and Prizes
First Place: Daniel Hand High School – World Affairs Forum (Stamford)
Alex Taubes, John Zhang, Laura Bomke, and Nick Gonsalves
$1,000 from the Maibach Foundation
Second Place: Hellgate High School – Montana World Affairs Council
Chase Maxwell, Joel Dalenberg, John Marks, and Hannah Rolston
$500 from the Maibach Foundation
Third Place: Saint Andrew’s School – World Affairs Council of Palm Beach
Kevin McGinnis, Grant Dubler, James Sunshine, and Daniel Reilly
$250 from the Maibach Foundation
Fourth Place: Raleigh Charter School – International Affairs Council of Raleigh
Gautam Sanka, John Eick, Katie Huddleston, and Josh Sokol
$150 from the Maibach Foundation
Fifth Place: Charter School of Wilmington – World Affairs Council of Wilimington
Robert Poirier, Henry Gorman, Jordan Leitner, and Neeraj Vijay
$100 from the Maibach Foundation
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, March 23, was held at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel.
The 2007 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, March 24, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC followed by a dinner reception at the Center for Strategic and International Studies with remarks from Ambassador James Jones, Co-Chairman of Manatt Jones Global Strategies.
Thank you to our sponsors: Exxon Mobil, Michael Maibach and the Maibach Foundation, Merrill Lynch, Coca-Cola, and McGraw Hill.
2006-2007 AWQ Topics
- International Financial Organizations
- Global Marketplace: Cars, Tech, and Pills
- The Arab-Israeli Conflict
- The Geography of Africa
- Great Decisions
- UN Reform
- Brazil
- Human Rights in the Age of Terrorism
- The U.S. and Iran
- Global Health Pandemics and Security
- Turkey
- Energy Resources
- China and India: Partners of Competitors
- Countries
- Current Events
- People in the News
- The Space Age
- International Humanitarian Organizations
Winners and Prizes
First Place: Thomas Jefferson HSST – World Affairs Council of DC
Lily Young, Natalia Lerner, Scott Ylinen, and Vikram Rao
Second Place: Raleigh Charter School – International Affairs Council of Raleigh
Andrew Zonderman, Katie Huddleston, Scott Hermann, and Will Schultz
Third Place: Bellaire High School – World Affairs Council of Greater Houston
Anand Habib, Danila Kabotyanski, Kyle Bean, and Will Flaherty
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, March 31, was held at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel with remarks from David Sadoff, Executive Office of the President.
The 2006 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 1, at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC followed by a dinner reception at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
Thank you to our sponsors: The Claremont Group, Foreign Policy Association, Kaiser Family Foundation, and The New York Times Knowledge Network.
2005-2006 AWQ Topics
- Countries
- Famous Landmarks and Monuments
- People in the News
- Nobel Prizes
- Flags
- Great Decisions
- U.S. Intelligence
- Russia
- Outsourcing Jobs
- China
- Sudan’s Crisis in Darfur
- The Global Poverty Gap
- The Middle East
- Global Water Issues
- United Nations
- U.S. Neighbors
- Peoples of the World
- Current Events
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, April 1, was held on the Spirit of Washington boat with dinner and dancing.
The 2005 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, April 2, at the Organization of American States in Washington, DC with remarks from John Donvan, ABC News, followed by a dinner reception at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The winning school was Taylor Allderdice High School, sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh.
The students received a tour of the National Museum of the American Indian on Sunday, April 3.
Thank you to our sponsors: European Union Delegation to the U.S., The Claremont Group, Foreign Policy Association, Kaiser Family Foundation, and The New York Times Knowledge Network.
2004-2005 AWQ Topics
- People in the News
- Countries
- Treaties
- Great Decisions
- The Media and Foreign Policy
- The Philippines
- Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Europe Today
- Muslim Diversity
- Latin America
- Middle East Political Reform
- Public Diplomacy
- World Religions
- Africa
- Languages
- European Union
- Flags
- Current Events
Competition Details
A welcome reception on Friday, March 26, was held at the Hotel Washington with remarks from Ambassador Bruce Laingen.
The winning team was a combined student team from Bellaire and Stratford High Schools sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston.
The 2004 Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, March 27, at the World Bank in Washington, DC followed by a dinner reception at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center with a performance by the Capitol Steps.
The students received a tour of the International Spy Museum on Sunday, March 28.
Thank you to our sponsors: World Bank, The Claremont Group, Kaiser Family Foundation, and The New York Times Knowledge Network.
2003-2004 AWQ Topics
- Geography
- 20th Century
- Flags
- Middle East
- Countries
- Capitals
- People in the News
- International Organizations
- UNIDO
- Culture
- Current Events
Competition Details
The inaugural Academic WorldQuest National Competition was held on Saturday, March 29, at the Organization of American States in Washington, DC with a tour led by Sandra Honore, Chief of Staff for Ambassador Luigi Einaudi. It was won by the Kinkaid School sponsored by the Houston World Affairs Council.
Thank you to our sponsors: Ambassador Jim Jones, The Claremont Group, Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Organization of American States.
2002-2003 AWQ Topics
- World Geography
- Flags of the World
- Current Events
- People in the News
- Faces Around the World
- General Knowledge
