Parr Center for Ethics wins $10,000 award to support Ethics Bowl

The National High School Ethics Bowl gives student teams from across the United States the chance to exercise their philosophical and ethical muscles as they analyze topical issues. (photo courtesy of The Parr Center for Ethics)

The National High School Ethics Bowl gives student teams from across the United States the chance to exercise their philosophical and ethical muscles as they analyze topical issues. (photo courtesy of The Parr Center for Ethics)

The Parr Center for Ethics, based in the philosophy department in UNC’s College of Arts & Sciences, has received a $10,000 diversity and inclusiveness grant from the American Philosophical Association to support the National High School Ethics Bowl.

The grant, “Supporting Diversity and Inclusiveness in the National High School Ethics Bowl,” will support regional high school ethics bowls in under-served communities, focusing on outreach to diverse high schools and will help provide financial support for qualifying teams to travel to the National High School Ethics Bowl in Chapel Hill in the spring.

The APA awarded funding for projects aimed at increasing the presence and participation of women, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ students, people with disabilities, people of low socioeconomic status and other underrepresented groups.

Each year, student teams from across the United States exercise their philosophical and ethical muscles as they analyze topical issues in the National High School Ethics Bowl. Last year, 3,924 students from 413 teams representing 281 schools competed in 32 regional competitions for their chance to compete in the national championship.

The performance of each team is judged on the basis of how clearly, articulately and perceptively the students develop the positions they decide to take; their ability to communicate respectfully and collaboratively; and their willingness to take diverse viewpoints into account.

The 2018 National High School Ethics Bowl will be held April 20-22.

The National High School Ethics Bowl was recently featured in the Hi-Phi Nation podcast.