High School Ethics Bowl Louisiana Regional Tournament Returned to Tulane

The Tulane University Ethics Bowl Program (TUEB) team, organized by Murphy's Center for Ethics, hosted the second High School Ethics Bowl Louisiana Regional Tournament on Saturday, January 10, 2026. 

Eight teams from across southern Louisiana competed for advancement to the National High School Ethics Bowl divisional playoffs. Participating schools included McDonogh 35, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, Sacred Heart of Grand Coteau, and Berchmans Academy. In addition to the competition, students experienced campus life through lunch in the Commons and a visit to the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library. 

First-time competitors from Berchmans Academy earned first place and secured a spot at the divisional playoffs. Sacred Heart of Grand Coteau placed second, followed by Frederick Douglass in third. Students described the Ethics Bowl experience as intellectually energizing and personally transformative, citing “the rush of having a new idea,” “the pure adrenaline of thinking deeply with friends,” and a meaningful boost to their confidence.  

Tulane University’s Ethics Bowl Program brings high school and college students together to explore complex ethical questions in a collaborative, debate-style setting. The program cultivates communication skills, professionalism, and ethical reasoning while fostering a shared sense of responsibility. As one participant reflected, “the Ethics Bowl experience is one for community and gives [us] hope for the future.” 

Coaches and teams alike described the regional tournament as a highlight of the academic year, and for many students, a defining experience of their high school education. 

This ethics bowl tournament came together through the sustained labor and coordination of Shoshana Primak, TUEB Coordinator and Philosophy PhD Candidate and Sania Islam, TUEB Intern and Captain of the Collegiate TUEB Team. Its success also depended on the time, care, and intellectual labor of volunteers, judges and moderators, as well as the ongoing work of teachers and coaches who prepare and support students throughout the season. 

For more information about Tulane’s Ethics Bowl Program and how to get involved, please contact: 

Professor Chad Van Schoelandt, director of the Center for Ethics and faculty sponsor of the Ethics Bowl Team. 

Shosh Primak, TUEB Coordinator and Facilitator, and graduate assistant for the Center for Ethics.