On Tuesday, March 8, eleven Corry students went to Mercyhurst University for the Eleventh Annual Ethics Symposium held by the Erie Rotary Club. The day consisted of several lectures regarding ethics and moral dilemmas. Speakers included Professor Richard McCarty, club director Tatiana Bogatova, and Rotary club president Diane E. Chido.

Students arrived at 8:00 am and attended a lecture with Professor McCarty about the definition of ethics and the value of opinions. During this, after the oral lecture, students watched a video that posed a series of moral dilemmas. After debating them with their classmates, students could approach the microphone to share their reasoning.

Students then split into small groups to engage with those from other school districts to discuss ethics and values. These meetings were supervised and assisted by Rotary club members and Mercyhurst professors. After an on-campus lunch, students and teachers gathered in the auditorium again for more open microphone sessions, followed by a gift giveaway.

When asked about his experience in the teachers-only conference, Corry chaperone Mr. Hogue said, “The most beneficial part was meeting teachers with similar experiences and opinions.” He shared how comforting it was to speak to other educators about the struggles of teaching students during the pandemic.

Fellow sponsor Ms. DiLuzio said, “It was so cool to see teachers rest easy and have discussions while students… had autonomy.”

As a student who attended this symposium, I thought it was a very fun and educational experience. It was incredible to listen to the speakers share the philosophy of ethics with myself and other students. I would recommend that anyone interested in ethics take a look at the Erie Rotary Club website.