Apr. 19th, 2025
2025 Interscholastic Philosophy Conference
This marks the 1st-ever highschool Interscholastic Philosophy Conference in New England.
As part of our mission, the question “what kind of philosophy does the world need in 2025?” has been the spine of the philosophy club. Philosophy is not only an inquiry in the past, a quote from Aristotle, or a corner of the library. More than that, it is a powerful lens that can bring innovation.
Miller, written in the NMH Story post
A Quick Recap
The 1st Interscholastic Philosophy Conference took place on April 19, 2025, at Northfield Mount Hermon. We had 11 speakers, and guests came in from 5 different schools in Massachusetts, California, and China. Topics ranged from the ethics of AI to philosophy in contemporary Japan, and we were particularly proud to see different cultures, perspectives, and insights on philosophy from a diverse group of speakers!
As the conference aimed to 1) foster a spider web that connects academic voices from high school philosophers, and 2) promote the accessibility and diversity within philosophy, it was a successful one. We are looking forward to continuing collaborations with philosophers from other schools, to build a philosophy platform in western Massachusetts and beyond.
We were honored to initiate the 1st Interscholastic Philosophy Conference for highschoolers in New England, and all this would not be possible without the community's support.
Timeline
Stage 1 - Startup Stage
Formulating and finalizing ideas about the Interscholastic Philosophy Conference
Formulating the structure
Producing a detailed proposal and plan, which will become the basis of the invitational conference
Finalizing documents: Event flyers and Certificates
Finalized advertisement materials to be sent out.
Gaining Sponsorship and Rigor
After persistent communication efforts, I gained sponsorship from not only NMH advancement but also PLATO, the Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization.
Sending out invitations
Sent out invitation emails to guest schools.
Stage 2 - Preparation Stage
January - March
Confirming Guests and Speakers
Preparing Programs, Certificates, and other materials
Finalizing topics and academic delivery with each speaker
Required extensive communications and academic work
Stage 3 - Final Approach
Early April
Advertisement & Publicity
Gaining as much as audience as possible:: actions include adding online spectating options, sharing news around campus, and posting event flyers on social media.
Logistics Set-up
IT, Zoom, space-reservation, room set-up, etc.
Continued Communications with all Participants
To ensure preparation and academic proficiency in their works.
1st Interscholastic Philosophy Conference
Stage 4 - After the Conference
April - May
Following up with participants on certificates & feedback
Early planning for future continuations
Circling back to participants and SPONSORS for gratitude; pivoting the past conference to a potential project in the next academic year.
Thank you for reading! Although this was a long process, it was a fulfilling start to a meaningful cause -- providing experience for the future
Certificates & Co-sponsorship from PLATO
After continuous communication efforts, PLATO agreed to grant us their co-sponsorship. It was a HUGE boost to our publicity and rigor! Thank you, PLATO.
The conference ensured the academic rigor and full acknowledgment of each student’s work. All works presented during the conference were approved by relevant faculty at their school. The conference was co-sponsored by the nonprofit Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO), which offered recognition for our willingness to take initiative on starting an unprecedented high school philosophy platform.
Conference Program
The speakers came from four schools, including six students from NMH, one from Portola High School in California, one from the Webb Schools in California, and three from Shanghai Weiyu High School in China. We had spectators from Deerfield Academy, from online, and from NMH.
The conference consisted of four sessions, with 11 speakers, some of whom joined by Zoom. Each speaker spoke for around 10 minutes on a topic related to philosophy, and we hosted intriguing insights and voices. The topics that were presented:
- Morality vs. Legality: Ethics of Law
- Aristotelian Ethics
- Industrial Revolution in Japan and the Environment
- From Socrates to Semiotics: Why Philosophy Became Hard to Read
- The Ethical Debate Over AI in the Legal System: Should AI be Granted Legal Personhood?
- Analyzing the Emergence of Male Dominance and the Necessity of Equal Rights from the Perspective of Social Classes (3 speakers)
- Central Assertions of Religious Studies
- The Philosophical Battle of Defining and Being Defined: Labeling
- Empathy in Extremes: A Study of Selflessness and Selfishness
Image Gallery
In today’s world, a philosophy conference is more than meaningful. With the emergence of AI and growing tension in larger world issues, philosophy is a borderless force that can pull people together.
Miller, shared in the NMH story post
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