Extension Programs

Senior Ethics Olympiad Success

Two Aitken teams participated in the Victorian Senior Ethics Olympiad on Friday 26 May. An Ethics Olympiad is a competitive yet collaborative event in which students discuss contentious ethical issues in contemporary society. It differs from debating in that students are not assigned opposing views; rather, they defend whatever position they believe is right and win by showing that they have thought more carefully, deeply, and perceptively about the cases in question. The students practised in the lead-up to the event reading through the ethical cases studied and examining them from various ethical frameworks.

The Ethics Olympiad program saw our teams engage in discourse via Zoom with other schools around Victoria, part of just one chapter of the Ethics Olympiad that unfolded around Australia. Throughout the day, they faced complex cases, which included discussing the ethics of National Service, Death and Services, the fifth industrial revolution and  Anger in Politics.

The ‘Ethletes’ were judged on their excellence in attentive listening, respectful communication, the consideration of multiple perspectives, the giving of reasons in support of a perspective, the offering of constructive feedback, and the reasonable modification of stated beliefs in response to the opposition’s feedback.

Our two teams were superb on the day and did themselves and the school proud, with one Team receiving an honourable mention from the judges for their respectful discourse and solid commentary and responses. All the students involved are to be congratulated on their participation and for their amazing efforts on the day!   A special thanks to Mr Cizar Touma for his assistance in coaching the teams. We now look forward to the Middle School Ethics Olympiad held in November.

Aitken Light Purple Team: Amy G (11S), Gabriel W (11T), Joelle S (11T), Sahez S (11B), Sophie B (11T)

Aitken Red Team: Amaya C (10S), Deborah B (11B), Chanelle G (11K), Hiruki H (11K), Mustapha Z (11B)

Our students shared their throughs on the ethics experience:

I really enjoyed doing Ethics Olympiad this year as it broadened my mind and thinking capabilities when it came to modern day ethical cases. By doing Ethics Olympiad this year I became a lot more confident in making my own ethical judgments and had a great time getting to work with my team. Amaya C (11B)

I enjoyed being a part of the Ethics Olympiad team because I got to discuss interesting ethical issues with my teammates. The training sessions allowed me to build on my teamwork skills as we would brainstorm different perspectives and insights on the issues. The actual event allowed to me strengthen my public speaking and critical thinking skills as we had to speak in front of a judge and another school and come up with answers to questions about the ethics cases on the spot. It also helps me with VCE as it strengthens skills - critical thinking, public speaking, teamwork - that can be used to boost my levels of academic achievement across my subjects. Chanelle G (11K)

Ethics Olympiad has been a delightful opportunity where I have been able to be stimulated by relevant topics with serious ethical concerns with like-minded students. I am so grateful for the support of Mrs Di Martino, her contributions to the program is unmatched, I appreciate all her hard work she has put into running this fantastic opportunity. I cannot wait for future Ethics Olympiads! Sahez S (11B)

Ethics Olympiad Case Writing Winners

Congratulations to the following students who received honourable mentions in this year’s Ethics Olympiad Case Writing competition. This was an exciting opportunity for students in Years 7- 12 to write cases that highlight a clear moral issue. Over one hundred cases were submitted by students from around Southeast Asia and Australasia and entries awarded an honourable mention are eligible to be included in future Ethics Olympiads.

Olivia H (9M) - Case Title: ‘My Sister’s Keeper - A Medical Moral Dilemma’

Lisa T (10N)  - Case Title: ‘Social Media Addiction’

Mrs Mary Ann Di Martino

Head of Faculty – Extension Programs