Team competed against six other schools
April 25, 2013
LANCASTER – In an unusual turn of events, HACC’s Lancaster campus Ethics Bowl team placed second and fourth in the Mid-Atlantic Eastern Regional Ethics Bowl. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Ethics Bowl is sponsored annually by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE).

Ordinarily, each of the six participating institutions has one team in the competition which was held April 13, 2013 at the University of Baltimore. Due to multiple illnesses on one of the teams, the competition was nearly cancelled. To ensure that the competition could continue, HACC’s team divided itself in two, making for an even six teams needed to make the Bowl possible.

“In the ethical spirit of seeking the greatest good for the greatest number, we broke into two teams,” explained Tedd Hess, HACC Ethics Bowl team coach, who is also an instructor of philosophy at HACC-Lancaster Campus.“We were applauded by all for breaking loose from our whole team preparation dynamics to make this happen.” On Team A were Deb Schmidt of Lititz, Eric Harzer and Heidi Kindon of Elizabethtown. Team B consisted of Kyle Ingham of Elizabethtown and Joey Eddins of Lancaster. Team A came in fourth place, just behind last year's winner, who came in third place. Team B came in second place, with the two-man team giving a solid performance against competition provided by the winning team, Ann Arundel Community College. It was the second year the HACC-Lancaster team participated in the event. Other schools participating this year were Anne Arundel Community College, CCBC Catonsville Campus, Howard Community College and Montgomery College-Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus.

“Everyone said had we been all together, we would have won hands down,” stated Hess. “I was a judge for the four-year College Bowl which was also held at the University of Baltimore in November, 2012, and several students went along to witness this event. From the beginning of spring term in January, our team met twice weekly for 90 minutes to practice the ten cases, and we had Saturday sessions of four to five hours during the last three weeks. Each of the five team members prepared for each case but prepared to ‘lead’ on two of the cases presented. During practice, we studied all sides of the dilemmas and then held mock trial runs in the last weeks before the event. This is why breaking up the team hurt.”

Even so, Hess confirms the team plans to participate next year, when the winner of that Eastern Regional event will proceed to National competitions.

 “I am so proud of each of these students who grew in mind and spirit, individually and together, through this difficult but well worthwhile extracurricular venture,” said Hess. “It was a great day for Philosophy at HACC!”
Team participation is open to students. It is an extension of, and supported by, the Lancaster Philosophy Club (part of the HACC Philosophy Forum). For more information about the Ethics Bowl team, contact Hess at ephess@hacc.edu.

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