Grace Students Tackle Moral Dilemmas in New Ethics Bowl Club

By in Academics Culture Current Events

Media provided by Cassie B. ’26.

This year, Grace students have a new forum for exploring ethical questions: the Ethics Bowl. Founded by new student Lulu H.H., ’27, the club is a space for discussion of moral dilemmas without the same concrete structure of debate.

For some context, the High School Ethics Bowl is a team-based competition in which students analyze real-world scenarios and discuss the ethical implications behind them. Unlike debate, there are no “for” or “against” sides; the focus is on YOUR thinking. So you might be asking how do you win an ethics bowl competition? Well, much like debate, you are judged on your reasoning, dialogue, and exploration of different perspectives.

“I realized Grace didn’t have a similar club, so I decided to start one,” Lulu said. “You don’t have to take the pro or con side. Ethics Bowl is a great space for people to voice their opinions freely and analyze the ethical applications of the real world.”

Unlike the debate team, which relies on structured arguments and extensive preparation, Ethics Bowl emphasizes conversation and collaborative thinking. “I’m a member of the debate team, and I love it, but Ethics Bowl is special because it’s more of a conversation and less of a structured debate with a ton of prep. It’s really just thinking and building off ideas,” said George L., ’28.
The club meets on Thursday mornings at 8:15, offering students a chance to discuss challenging ethical scenarios in a relaxed environment (and occasionally with free donuts). Participation is growing quickly as students explore questions that range from everyday decisions to complex moral issues.
Ethics Bowl members will compete in their first regional competition this Saturday, February 7, at Fordham University. They are also scheduled to participate in another competition at Harvard University on March 28.
Annie P. ’28 shares while talking about the upcoming competition that she “seriously cannot wait to talk in circles about utilitarianism.”

With a growing roster and a focus on discussion over debate, Ethics Bowl is quickly becoming a unique space for students to engage thoughtfully with real-world issues.

Serena H. ‘27, the author, is the Junior Deputy Editor of The Grace Gazette.