Apr. 25, 2025 -- Heights High students Amir Oden and Trinity Hunter considered the ethical implications of data collection and the importance of free speech in schools at the Heights of Greater Cleveland Rotary Club’s Four-Way Test event back in March.
Amir and Trinity are members of Heights High’s Free Speech Club and were two of five students that responded to the local Rotary Club’s challenge to prepare a speech using Rotary International’s Four-Way Test.
According to
Rotary International, The Four-Way Test is a “nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships” based on the following questions:
- Is it the TRUTH?
- Is it FAIR to all concerned?
- Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
- Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
The five students picked current issues to research, created presentations, and presented a speech based on the Four-Way Test to an assembly of local Rotarians.
Amir's speech, "Ethics of Data Collection Without Explicit Consent," focused on the challenges we all face related to data collection; what information is used, by whom, and for what purposes.
Trinity won 3rd place with her speech, "Monochromatic Usage of Entitlement to Speech," where she argued for the importance of free speech in schools and on college campuses and included the different ways it should be practiced.