Mount Saint Joseph Joins Ethics Bowl: A New Debate Challenge

A bronze statue of Lady Justice, blindfolded and holding scales in one hand and a sword in the other, symbolizing fairness and authority in law.

2026 marks the first year that Mount Saint Joseph will participate in the Ethics Bowl, a national competition pitting high school students against each other in 15 different cases. The topics of these cases are all over the place – in years prior, students have debated anything from fireworks to Kalshi to looksmaxxing. What makes the Ethics Bowl unique among argumentation-oriented clubs such as Mock Trial or Speech and Debate is that in the Ethics Bowl, students can take their own stance on a case, rather than being assigned one. This requires a high level of adaptability from students, as they are not aware of their opponents’ cases and how to rebuke them beforehand; rather, they must be able to respond and orient themselves in real time.

Mr. O’Donnell will be moderating the Ethics Bowl during its inaugural year and leading the charge, with student founders James Porter and Dominic Studlo, both Sophomores. Studlo has high hopes for the squad, saying, “I believe that the people we have are some of the best at working together to reach an informed consensus, and I believe that there’s always a place for new ideas.”

The team will spend the next few months preparing for the regional competition in February at the University of Baltimore in hopes of advancing to the divisional playoffs. If they do so, they will need to advance through these playoffs through several arduous battles to reach the national championship. Chances may look slim for the first-year Gaels, but sophomore Carter Mellott says, “I know the guys in this group can get things done, and I believe we have what it takes to make it all the way.” Sentiments such as his are echoed throughout the current group of seven members.

Two young men discussing in a classroom, one with curly hair and the other with short red hair, both wearing navy polo shirts. A laptop and classroom materials are visible on a desk. — James Porter (right) speaks to the group as Carter Mellott (left) listens intently.

Scrabble tiles arranged to spell the word 'DEBATE' on a wooden background, with scattered letters nearby. — License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Meetings and how to join

Starting in October, the club will be meeting on Wednesdays and Fridays during homeroom in Mr. O’Donnell’s room (415).

The club is always looking for new members and debaters, and prospective members can reach out to any of the moderators (Mr. O’Donnell, James Porter, or Dominic Studlo) to do so.