SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2022, Manhattanville College hosted the 7th Annual Westchester County – Regional High School Ethics Bowl, a local debate-style competition part of the National High School Ethics Bowl organized by the Parr Center for Ethics at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. 

This year marked yet another successful Bowl thanks to the assistance of the Design Thinking Center, the Center for Career Development, the Communications & Marketing Department, the Division of Historical, Philosophical & Political Sciences, the Marshall Institute for Ethical Thought & Action. This year’s Ethics Bowl welcomed 140 High School students to roam the halls and campus of Mville – with 10 High Schools registered and 22 teams ready to compete! We would like to thank all the coaches, teachers, and principals at: Arlington High School, George F. Baker High School, Poughkeepsie High School, North Rockland High School, John S. Burke Catholic High School, The Montfort Academy, Salesian High School, The School of the Holy Child, Fairfield Preparatory, and Regional Champions – Regis High School!

MIETA & Manhattanville’s Ethics Bowl team managed to recruit plenty of volunteers to assist as Judges and Moderators. This year’s Bowl recruited 44 volunteers, including 20 undergraduate students, 15 alumni and 9 faculty / staff. The Ethics Bowl at Manhattanville College seeks to embody our College Mission and Vision, molding tomorrow’s generation into ethical, and thoughtful leaders. To this end, we include our student-body and alumni annually.

On a chilly morning, our guests and volunteers began the day by filling the pews in the O’Byrne Chapel. There, they were graced with a joyful piece from Manhattanville’s Quintessentials – On the Heights, and then with encouraging words from Vice President Alison Carson, Dr. Siobhan Nash-Marshall, Dean Rebecca Lafleur, and Christina Labella of Admissions. Now our Bowl was set to start!

After three competitive rounds, our participants enjoyed lunch in the East Room of Benziger Hall. Old friends and new reconnected in a lively discourse – the highlight of every Ethics Bowl! After lunch, participants moved to the beautiful Pius X Auditorium – students, teachers, professors all impatiently waited to hear which High Schools qualified for the Semi-Final Knockout Rounds. The matchups were Poughkeepsie High School v. Salesian High School and Regis High School v. Fairfield Preparatory School. Semi-Finalists gave it their all with delight! With great effort, one private school and one public school moved on to the Finals: Regis High Schoolagainst Poughkeepsie High School. 

After a spirited debate, the judges announced their votes. Regis High School won the title of Westchester Regional Champion. In April, they will travel to and compete at the National High School Ethics Bowl! 

An award ceremony capped the event, Regis High School received the Westchester County – Regional High School Ethics Bowl Championship trophy, along with gold medals for the winning team, as well as a certificate to commemorate the day. It is also a tradition to honor the team that best represented ethical conduct and spirit with the Mary T. Clark Spirit of Ethics Award, determined by popular vote polled from among the students who competed. The Judges’ Best award went to the school that collected the most votes in the morning Preliminary Rounds. 

Our Ethics Bowl team congratulates Poughkeepsie High School (Mary T. Clark Spirit of Ethics) and Regis High School (Judges’ Best) respectfully! 

The students, volunteers and teachers left happy and excited for next year’s competition! As one of our volunteer judges puts it: 

“The best part for me was the respect shown between the schools/ the conversation the students had during the matches are ones we should all strive for when discussing beliefs and opinions. It is important and essential for our young generations to be able to speak freely, especially with others of opposing beliefs, to find a universal solution to the world’s problems today. The fathers of philosophy certainly would be proud of our effort to make America, and the world, think again.”                            

                                                                     - Alex Grabar, Semi-Final Judge, (Class of 2022)

There’s hope in the next generation! February’s competitors demonstrated an eagerness to learn and the potential to be strong leaders. Our students at Manhattanville College, and part of the Ethics Bowl Internship demonstrated their own maturity and responsibility. They too want to become leaders of their generation, on the path to virtue.