February 8, 2025, marked Chapman University’s tenth year hosting the Southern California Regional High Schools Ethics Bowl competition. Twenty teams from nineteen different schools competed. Glendora High School and Canyon Crest High School advanced to the divisional competition where they will face two northern California teams.

The National High School Ethics Bowl Organization (NHSEB) provides a competitive and collaborative environment for 9th-12th grade students to think critically about and discuss real-life ethical dilemmas. The teams discussed topical ethical dilemmas such as the role of Artificial Intelligence in our social fabric, boycotts against disagreeable companies and regimes, and approaching political divides amongst family members. They were required to defend the position they deemed most reasonable in front of a group of judges and were assessed on their quality of reasoning and their responses to the judge’s and opposing teams’ questions. The NHSEB hopes that participating in these competitions not only equips students with the skills to ponder ethical problems but also assists them in learning how to solve problems together. 

Chapman University’s Political Science department recruited Chapman students to fulfill the role of moderators and professors as judges. Two student moderators were Anya Nguyenkhoa (‘25 History) and Tyler Coker (‘25 History and Political Science). Nguyenkhoa shared that she was most surprised by “the level of collaboration and preparedness the students demonstrated,” and Coker observed that “within two minutes, the students were able to not only digest the case but create a strong argument about the case.”

“I found the discussion between Harvard-Westlake and Glendora regarding whether to turn in Shirley, someone who accidentally murdered their sister 30 years ago, to be most compelling,” said Kimberly Muth, Assistant Director of Operations in the Office of Research & Graduate Education at Chapman, and a judge at this year’s competition. “Not only did both teams put a great deal of thought into the question, but every time I thought one team answered all possible angles, the opposing team still had very thoughtful questions to extend the conversation in ways that I didn’t even consider. It made me wish the teams had more time to really discuss outside of the competitive setting!” 

All in all, anyone who had the opportunity to assist in facilitating these competitions, whether as a moderator or judge, recalls not only being entranced by the ethical dilemmas themselves but also by the tenacity exhibited by the high schoolers.

Both Nguyenkhoa and Muth expressed how now more than ever, it is critical for younger generations to learn how to engage in respectful debates, and the students who participated in the Southern California Regional High Schools Ethics Bowl competition proved themselves more than capable.

(Pictured in header: Pictured at the podium is Serena Park (’25 Political Science and SCC, Music Business minor). Park served as a student moderator at the 2025 Southern California Regional High Schools Ethics Bowl competition at Chapman University).