AT THE INTERSECTION OF SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY

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December 11, 2024

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here. 

Teams from Notre Dame Prep's middle school excel in this year's Big Questions debate.

Since late October of this year, all of Notre Dame Prep's seventh and eighth graders have been contending with the national Big Questions Debate topic, "Creativity is a more powerful force than intelligence," in the event, which is sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation and in partnership with the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA). 

Elimination rounds finished this past Monday and the results are in: Mihraille Atia and Daniella Sacco are the champions for seventh grade, with David Byrd and Annalise Urek placing second. Lily Buero and Jonah Murphy took the highest honors for eighth grade in their finals round against last year's defending champions, Leah Dekutoski and Andrea Pencu. 

"This year's topic was approachable and really appreciated by the students," said Dr. LeAnne Schmidt. NDP's debate and forensics coach and teacher in the middle school. Hopefully, it leads to some effective learning extensions and great discussions at home.

Big Questions is a form of debate designed to open students’ minds and encourage them to engage in life discussion that may not align with their previously held beliefs. Whether or not students change their opinion, the rich experience of this debate event will advance their knowledge, comfort and interest in learning more about the subject matter based on the intersection of science and philosophy.

Big Questions Debate is a debate format that allows students to debate with a partner or as an individual. Debates may be one-on-one, two-on-two, or two-on-one. Topics last all year and concern the intersection of science, philosophy and religion. Students are assigned a side of the topic before each round and present cases; engage in rebuttal and refutation; and participate in a question period. Often, members of the public are recruited to judge and observe this event.
 

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndprep.org.