2025 Arizona High School Ethics Bowl
We look forward to this year’s upcoming ethics bowl on February 1st, here at NAU!
This event is coming in February. Ethics Bowls are competitive yet collaborative events in which students discuss real-life ethical issues. In each round of competition, teams take turns analyzing cases about complex ethical dilemmas and responding to questions and comments from the other team and from a panel of judges. An Ethics Bowl differs from a Speech and Debate competition in that students are not assigned opposing views; rather, they defend the position they actually hold or think is reasonable, provide each other with constructive criticism, and win by demonstrating that they have thought rigorously and systematically about the cases and engaged respectfully and supportively with all participants. Data from program surveys show that this event teaches and promotes ethical awareness, critical thinking, civil discourse, civic engagement, and an appreciation for multiple points of view.
How it works:
- Moderator Period: A moderator will start the match by introducing a case from the set (which students have prepared with in advance) and asking a question that the discussion will address (which they have not).
- Presentation Period: After the case and question are introduced, Team A will have up to two minutes to confer, after which any member(s) of Team A may speak for up to five minutes in response to the moderator’s question, based on the team’s research and critical analysis. Team A must address the moderator’s question during the time allotted.
- Commentary Period: Next, Team B will have up to two minutes to confer, after which Team B may speak for up to three minutes to comment on Team A’s presentation.
- Response Period: Team A will then have up to two minutes to confer, followed by three minutes to respond to Team B’s commentary.
- Judges’ Period: The judges will begin their ten-minute question-and-answer session with Team A. Before asking questions, the judges may confer briefly. Each judge should have time for at least one question and may ask more questions if time permits.
Contact: Andrew M. Winters