NorKam Comes Out on Top in Ethics Bowl

NorKam Secondary won the second annual BC Interior Ethics Bowl over the weekend and will be virtually attending the Canadian National in Winnipeg at the end of April.

Among the winning team was grade 12 students Shreya Sharma, Bailin Li, Emmali Benoit, Graeme Zimmerman, grade 11 students Rylee Lake, Kierra Connelly, Sarah Nielson, Evan Leggett, Lena Heinan, and grade 10 students Dakoda Kelm and Jonas Ens. NorKam teachers Nicky MacFarlane and Trevor Pendergast helped lead the students to victory.

An Ethics Bowl is both a collaborative and competitive event, where teams discuss current ethical dilemmas of social, political, economic, scientific, or cultural nature. Prior to the day, all “bowlers” research and develop the cases and arrive at the Ethics Bowl prepared to discuss their ideas and to listen to other perspectives.

“Our students were awesome, not just this weekend but in the month of preparation leading up to it,” said Pendergast. “They represented our school like champions and they very deservedly earned their place at the Canadian National.”

Students were evaluated on communication, use of relevant information, critical thinking, collaboration, among other skill sets. Some examples of the issues NorKam competitively discussed were Bill 21 in Quebec, medically assisted death, or whether or not to give money to the homeless.