The 2026 SoCal Regional High School Ethics Bowl. Photo by Violet Gude (’29 Broadcast Journalism major).

February 7, 2026, marked Chapman University’s eleventh year hosting the SoCal Regional High School Ethics Bowl. This year, twenty teams from eighteen different schools gathered on Chapman campus to engage in thoughtful, collaborative conversations about real-world ethical issues. Harvard-Westlake School and Glendora High School progressed to the divisional competition.

The National High School Ethics Bowl (NHSEB) fosters a competitive yet deeply respectful and engaging environment in which 9th-12th-grade students analyze moral dilemmas, respond to questions from judges and peers, and learn how to think through ethical problems collectively. The teams defended their positions on ethical scenarios, including the role of Artificial Intelligence in therapy, environmental issues, genetic mutation, and passion projects in the college admissions process. The teams were evaluated based on their ability to consider the cases and engage respectfully and supportively with all participants. NHSEB aims to cultivate ethical awareness, critical thinking, and an appreciation for diverse perspectives.

Chapman student moderator Claire Gresham (‘28 History, Political Science, Environmental Science and Policy) reflected on how powerful it was to watch high schoolers engage so thoughtfully with these issues.

“Ethics bowl was a truly eye-opening experience for me because I had the opportunity to watch the next generation of college students, our country’s future, harmoniously debate over complex issues,” she shared. “It filled me with tremendous hope for our country because we do live in a time where important conversations often yield no outcomes because either side can’t respect the other. Ethics bowl did a fabulous job demonstrating to me how we can, and must, come together to have difficult conversations.”

 Dr. Ronald Steiner (Political Science), who has served as a judge for multiple years, observed the unique intellectual atmosphere the Ethics Bowl creates.

“The students study problems as a group and dig in to learn the various sides of issues. That group learning definitely comes through when you see them calmly and productively handling their presentations during the event, he remarked. “It’s refreshing to see what sets this event apart from more typical debate formats – there’s no premium in this for scoring debating points. The exchange has to be much more authentic and engaged in order to rise to the top.” He added that anyone skeptical about the quality of education today should attend an ethics bowl: “You’ll feel a lot more comfortable putting it into the hands of these young people.”

Moderators and judges emphasized the importance of teaching younger generations to engage in respectful, productive conversations. The students who participated in this year’s Ethics Bowl demonstrated both intellectual rigor and a commitment to understanding one another. The 2026 SoCal Regional High School Ethics Bowl is a reminder that ethical discussions are not just about solving problems, but about learning to navigate them together.

(Pictured in header: Dr. John Compton (Political Science) addresses the audience at the 2026 SoCal Regional High School Ethics Bowl. Photo by Violet Gude (’29 Broadcast Journalism major).)