The Ethics Institute Hosts Seventh New Jersey–New York Middle School Ethics Bowl

On February 22, the Ethics Institute at Kent Place School hosted the 7th-Annual New Jersey–New York Middle School Ethics Bowl, which saw 16 teams representing 11 schools across the region for an all-day competition. 

The day began with opening remarks from Karen Rezach, Director of the Ethics Institute, who highlighted the importance of ethical dialogue on topics such as friendship, artificial intelligence, and weighing the rights of an individual against the needs of the community. Each team competed in three rounds, then the top two teams met in the Upper School’s Great Room for the finals. 

The finalists were The Ethical Community Charter School, from Jersey City, and the Spence School, from Manhattan. The two teams engaged in ethical dialogue on a case about attending a concert whose artist holds problematic views. 

In the end, it was the team from The Ethical Community Charter School that emerged the winner. 

Kent Place School won the Margot Meyer Award for Excellence in Ethics, which goes to the team whose members demonstrate respectful dialogue throughout the competition. 

“It’s a testament to the leadership of the Ethics program here at Kent Place that there were 16 really competitive teams participating in the Middle School Ethics Bowl this past weekend,” says Mark Semioli, assistant coach of the Kent Place team, “and that Kent Place is no longer one of just a few schools that are embracing how ethical decision-making can change children’s lives.” 

“Margot Meyer means so much to Kent Place School, so we were pleased to win her award this year,” says Marie Micchelli, the team’s head coach. “Her work and her legacy make the National Middle School Ethics Bowl possible. Our team was honored to be recognized for listening to others with different points of view.”

Mr. Semioli agrees: “We’re even more proud of how hard our team worked all year in preparing for the competition — both during and outside of class time — and how the girls embraced the roles of being ethical leaders in our community on a daily basis.”

“The Middle School Ethics Bowl is an incredible experience,” says Dr. Rezach. “The enthusiasm of the students and coaches, the depth of their ethical understanding of complex issues, their engagement with each other, and their obvious excitement throughout the competition are inspiring. The creation of the Middle School Ethics Bowl is one of the most lasting and significant achievements of the Ethics Institute. It’s clear that the lives of these, our youngest ethical leaders, have been positively impacted; and this bodes well for the future of our society.”