Thinking together beats winning alone.
The Indiana High School Ethics Bowl invites teams of students to tackle real-world moral questions—together. Unlike traditional debate, Ethics Bowl isn’t about proving you’re right; it’s about listening carefully, reasoning clearly, and engaging with others in good faith. Teams analyze complex cases, respond to judges and peers, and learn how to navigate disagreement with curiosity and respect. It’s philosophy in action—collaborative, challenging, and a whole lot of fun.
About
The Prindle Institute is proud to have been host of the Indiana High School Ethics Bowl (IHSEB) since its foundation in 2014. As a qualifying Regional Competition of the National High School Ethics Bowl program, the IHSEB makes use of the same format, rules, and regulations as the NHSEB. After the Regional Competition each February, the IHSEB winner annually advances to the NHSEB Central Divisional Playoffs. Winners of Divisional Matches will advance to the NHSEB National Championship held at the University of North Carolina each April. For more information on the Indiana High School Ethics Bowl, or for assistance starting a team at your school, please contact Associate Director and Organizer Jamie Herman.
IHSEB 2026
The Indiana High School Ethics Bowl (IHSEB) is an affiliated Regional Competition with the National High School Ethics Bowl program. The 2026 IHSEB will take place on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at the Prindle Institute for Ethics on the campus of DePauw University in Greencastle, IN. All teams will participate in three preliminary rounds in the morning, with winning teams moving onto elimination rounds in the afternoon. The winner of the IHSEB will advance to NHSEB’s Central Divisional Playoffs (also hosted by the Prindle Institute) to compete for a seat at the NHSEB National Championship in April 2026 at the University of North Carolina’s Parr Center for Ethics.
Registration for the Indiana High School Ethics Bowl is now open. Schools may register one team between now and November 1. After that point, registration will open to second teams as space allows, with invitations going out in initial registration order. The 2025-2026 IHSEB registration fee is $250 for the first team registered, and an additional $75 for each additional participating team from a school. This fee is inclusive of the $175 NHSEB Registration fee, and that fee will be directed to NHSEB HQ upon registration with the Prindle Institute for IHSEB 2026. All registrations must be completed by December 1, 2025.
Team Startup Grants
The Prindle Institute, host of the Indiana High School Ethics Bowl, is offering startup grants of up to $250 to help launch and coach new teams in the 2025–2026 school year. Our staff can also provide coaching support, from recruiting students to preparing for competition. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with funding awarded first-come, first-served.
How Ethics Bowl Works
Each Ethics Bowl match brings two teams head-to-head to discuss and evaluate real-world moral dilemmas drawn from the National High School Ethics Bowl’s annual Case Sets—one for Regional Competitions and one for the National Championship each spring. Each round features a moderator, three judges, and an open audience of spectators.
At the start of the match, teams and judges receive copies of the first case and question. The moderator reads the case title and question aloud, which neither team knows in advance. From there, the conversation begins:
Moderator Period: The moderator introduces the case and poses a question for discussion.
Presentation Period: Team A confers for up to two minutes, then presents a five-minute response based on their preparation and ethical reasoning.
Commentary Period: Team B has two minutes to confer, then offers a three-minute commentary on Team A’s presentation.
Response Period: Team A confers again before responding to Team B’s commentary for up to three minutes.
Judges’ Period: Judges engage Team A in a ten-minute Q&A, asking thoughtful questions about their reasoning and approach.
Teams then switch roles for the second half of the match, allowing both sides to present, respond, and reflect. Judges score each team at the end of the round according to the following criteria:
- Team’s Presentation on the Moderator’s Question: Is the presentation clear and systematic? Does it address some central moral dimensions of the case? Does it indicate awareness of and responsiveness to opposing viewpoints?
- Responding Team’s Commentary: Is the commentary constructive? Does it advance the conversation by offering opportunities for clarification, questions for the presenting team, etc.
- Presenting Team’s Response to Commentary: Does the presenting team take seriously and adequately reply to the comments from their respondents?
- Presenting Team’s Responses to Judges’ Questions: Are judges’ questions answered effectively, clearly, and responsibly?
- Each team’s display of Respectful Dialogue throughout the match: Is each team committed to the central values of the competition—collaboration and the pursuit of truth, rather than, say, combativeness or belittling rhetoric?
Match Scoring Criteria →
Judge Scoring Form →
Moderator Script →
* For a full account of all National High School Ethics Bowl procedures and guidelines, see the current NHSEB Rules Manual and other supporting documents. You can also see things for yourself, and check out a full Ethics Bowl match in action here.
