Philosophy professors and graduate students from across the region joined the members of the Harvard Undergraduate Ethics Society (HUES) on the judging panel for the very first High School Ethics Bowl. 

This was my first time judging the ethical debates that took place during the club’s first High School Ethics Bowl. Hundreds of students from across the region, joining from 20+ high schools, and around 200 competing students.

The classrooms of Sever and Emerson hall were extremely lively with activity as team coaches checked in, students prepared to engage in philosophical debate, and the student organizers of the Ethics Society scrambled to ensure the event ran smoothly. Between directing information panels and hosting rounds within each assigned classroom, the entirely student-run event was proving to be a great success for the Ethics Society.

Before coming to Harvard, I had no tangible experience in the realm of philosophy or even debate. Stumbling upon the flyer for the Ethics Society during the admitted students’ event, Visitas, led me to join the organization during my fall semester of freshman year. Throughout the year, I became accustomed to analyzing the greatly interesting ethical cases that centered on moral dilemmas, which we would discuss during our meetings.  

It was finally time to put these skills into practice in the spring semester after coordinating the organization’s first High School Ethics Bowl. 
Preparation for this event meant creating the cases that were to be discussed, outreach to each of the participating schools, and so much more, down to ordering enough food for each guest. One thing was most clear to me from this, and that was the potential that organizations on campus had to create events where the hard work of the students behind it shone through.  
 

My role as a judge tested my ability to recognize strong arguments. I witnessed students in real time in a high-energy environment, engaging with difficult but interesting cases. Not only this, but the camaraderie within each classroom at the end of each discussion and the genuine interest exemplified by each student were truly rewarding to witness. This event was a clear testament to how I have been able to explore my own interests while pioneering something new. We continue to work towards future Ethics Bowls and events; I look forward to what’s next in store for the HUES.