All Saints Academy Recognized for 2nd Place Victory at National High School Ethics Bowl with City Proclamation
by James Coulter
All Saints Academy was recognized for placing second at a national debate competition with an official proclamation by the City of Winter Haven.
At their regular meeting on Mon. Apr. 28, the Winter Haven City Commission presented a proclamation honoring students from All Saints Academy for placing second at the National High School Ethics Bowl.
Even though the school did not win first place at the competition, nevertheless, their victory, as stated in the proclamation served as “an extraordinary accomplishment that reflects the school’s dedication to academic excellence and principled leadership.”
“The achievements of these students serve as an inspiration to their peers and a reminder of the power of ethical thinking, respectful dialogue, and academic excellence,” the proclamation read.
The team that participated in the competition and won second place consisted of students Madeline Booker, Renzo Lyon, and Franklin “Franlde” McLaughlin, and their coach Geoffrey Smith.
The students competed alongside more than 4,000 other students from across the nation during the National High School Ethics Bowl hosted earlier this month in Chapel Hill, NC.
As the proclamation explained, this national competition “promotes respectful and thoughtful dialogue on issues, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, empathy, and a commitment to civil discourse – skills that are vital to the health of our democracy and the well-being of our communities.”
“Thank you so much for this great honor,” a representative from All Saints Academy said. “It is such a blessing and such an honor to be here and to represent All Saints in this way. It is not every day you get to see such amazing young people who will become the leaders of our community in the future to be honored and celebrated this way. So, thank you for taking the time of honoring them.”
