On January 31, 2026, Piscataway’s Ethical Debate Club attended its annual Debate Bowl at Princeton University. Featuring three rounds, each of the two teams debated one of the 15 ethical cases. One presented its stance, the other countered, the first responded, and judges followed with questions, pushing students to defend their stance on the spot.

Co-president Reva Gill said she is “incredibly grateful” to help the club and believes this year showed “significant improvement” from last year. While the team is “almost there and on track to being even better,” she said one focus for next year is making sure everyone feels comfortable answering judges’ questions. She hopes to dedicate more time to researching “larger, more complex cases” so members are better prepared for spontaneous questioning. She added that she is “incredibly proud of the team” and excited to see how they perform next year.

Co-president Vidushi Jain pointed to one argument she was most proud of was challenging the opposing side’s claim that maturity depends on autonomy while also arguing that minimal sentences should be given to young adults in Round 3. She explained that those ideas “don’t really make sense coexisting together” and strengthened her team’s case by arguing that autonomy exists at different levels at different ages.

The highlight of the debate bowl for freshman Andrew Epstein was both intellectual and personal. He said he enjoyed “getting to listen and debate cases” while gaining insight into “the differing perspectives of people from different communities.” At the same time, he admitted his “true answer” while rather corny was the friends he made along the way, adding that joining the team has shaped his high school experience and that it was very much worth it for the community and the people.

Although the team did not make it to the semi finals, they walked away having strengthened their confidence, sharpened critical thinking skills, and a strong sense of community that makes the club so special. The club is already looking ahead with excitement and determination for next year’s Debate Bowl and their upcoming Debate Scrimmage later this month!

For more information about the PHS debate club, please contact Ms. Killian in room D201