Undefeated Ethics Bowl Team qualifies for nationals
USN's Ethics Bowl team won both the Tennessee Ethical Bowl and the Divisional Playoff, going undefeated over seven matches to qualify for the National High School Ethics Bowl at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Congratulations to Caroline Keiper '25, Zinnia Nichols-Loller '25, Ellie Rothman '25, Ellie Klein '25, Eliza Nichols '25, Amelie Soslow '25, Jaya Gupta '25, and Kati Tong '25.
By Jeff Edmonds, Assistant Head of High School for Academics
Last weekend, USN’s Ethics Bowl team sent eight juniors (Zinnia Nichols-Loller, Ellie Klein, Ellie Rothman, Kati Tong, Eliza Nichols, Amelie Soslow, Caroline Keiper, and Jaya Gupta) to compete in the 2024 Tennessee Ethics Bowl at The Webb School in Knoxville, sponsored by the Philosophy Department at the University of Tennessee. USN’s team, the Epicureans, went undefeated through their six matches and ultimately defeated Knoxville Farragut to take home the championship. Over the course of the six rounds, the team won 17 of 20 judge's ballots, perhaps the first time in history that 85% of philosophers agreed on anything.
Last weekend, USN’s Ethics Bowl team sent eight juniors (Zinnia Nichols-Loller, Ellie Klein, Ellie Rothman, Kati Tong, Eliza Nichols, Amelie Soslow, Caroline Keiper, and Jaya Gupta) to compete in the 2024 Tennessee Ethics Bowl at The Webb School in Knoxville, sponsored by the Philosophy Department at the University of Tennessee. USN’s team, the Epicureans, went undefeated through their six matches and ultimately defeated Knoxville Farragut to take home the championship. Over the course of the six rounds, the team won 17 of 20 judge's ballots, perhaps the first time in history that 85% of philosophers agreed on anything.
This victory qualified them for the Divisional Playoff, a single match to determine who from the larger division will be invited as one of 24 teams to the National High School Ethics Bowl. USN’s team swept the judge’s ballots, and will head to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in April to compete on the national stage.
Ethics Bowl is a competition that rewards collaboration, intellectual precision, and clear argumentation, With a 45-minute break for lunch, students wrestled from 8:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. with wide-ranging and complex ethical matters, including nuclear disarmament, violence towards Koroks in Legend of Zelda, nutrition in school cafeterias, copyright in the age of AI, the limits of honesty in marriages, and what the producers of Netflix’s "Dahmer owe to his victims," just to name a few.
Winning a round takes thinking together about real moral questions with nuance, openness, and curiosity. In each of these cases, the team worked collaboratively to outline ethical stakes, take a clear position, and defend it or adapt it in real-time in response to questions from other teams and trained philosophers.
Faithful to the spirit of student independence at USN, this team was self-coached and student-run. They researched, debated, and constructed all their arguments together. As official coach, my major contributions to the team’s success included taking photos of the trophy and making hotel reservations. I also passed out Pop Tarts at critical moments, when intensely active brains sent glucose levels low.
While always appreciative of the higher delights of the mind, the team was also happy to be delivered back to USN in time for the Homecoming Dance, affirming the value, indeed, of all forms of pleasure — as their namesake Epicurus would have it.
Please wish these students the best of luck as they prepare over the next weeks to represent USN against the best teams in the country.
School News
List of 3 news stories.
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Stokes earns Excellence in Auxiliary Award
Read MoreDirector of Auxiliary Services Rebecca Stokes was given the Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative’s award for her work including students in the selection of a new playground, transitioning the school bookstore, refining registration systems and processes for summer camps & enrichment activities, and expanding the school’s cultural and holiday celebrations to be inclusive of USN’s diverse student body. -
Preview USN on November 14
University School of Nashville welcomes prospective families to tour the Edgehill Campus, speak with students, faculty, and administrators, and learn about our K-12 school's academic, athletic, and arts offerings. Sessions will take place at 9:30 a.m. for Middle & High Schools and 1 p.m. for Lower School. Let us know you are coming at usn.org/preview.Read More -
Secure your tickets to Artclectic Patrons Party today
Read MoreFor more than 30 years, Artclectic has been one of Nashville's premier juried art shows, welcoming nationally recognized artists and visitors from across the city to USN's Sperling Gym turned art gallery. The weekend features exceptional artwork, artist demonstrations, student experiences, family activities, and special events that celebrate creativity, with proceeds benefiting USN. Purchase your tickets today.
Athletics News
List of 3 news stories.
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HS athletics recaps for September 11-17
Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.Read More -
MS athletics recaps for September 11-17
Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.Read More -
MTB Race #2 Report - Rockabilly Ridge Trails, Oakfield, TN
The MTB team returned to the the twisty trails of tranquil Oakfield, TN on Sept 13th to take part in the second race of the season, as part of the 5-race series hosted by the NICA/TICL League.Read More
Contact
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.