On Saturday, May 2, students from across Cincinnati Public Schools came together for the inaugural Cincinnati Public Schools Ethics Bowl—an event designed not just as a competition, but as a continuation of something bigger: sustained engagement in ethical thinking, dialogue, and real-world application.
Hosted by the Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students, the one-day event brought together high school students from Dater, Shroder, Western Hills, Spencer Center, and Walnut Hills. A collaborative team representing Dater and Western Hills competed alongside teams from the other schools—an early reflection of the spirit of the day: connection over competition.
The format included three preliminary rounds followed by a Championship match, with students engaging in structured, thoughtful discussion using cases from the National High School Ethics Bowl National Championship set.
Keeping Students Engaged Beyond the Season
For many students, the Ethics Bowl season ends after regional competition, creating a gap of several months before the next opportunity to participate. For Cincinnati Public Schools coaches, that gap raised an important question: how do you keep students engaged in the work once the competition ends?
Rather than letting that momentum fade, CPS Ethics Bowl coaches came together to create a local event focused on continuing the development of the skills that define Ethics Bowl—critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and the ability to engage across differing perspectives. They then partnered with the Cincinnati Ethics Center for operational support.
Students were quick to articulate the impact:
- “It will follow me into my desired major of Philosophy.”
- “It teaches you the importance of all sides of a story.”
- “It allows me to think about ways to better the bigger picture—and why it matters.”
- “It helps me examine my own moral standings.”
- “It assists in understanding social norms.”
- “It fosters situational awareness.”
Shroder coach Jamison Sedgwick emphasized the broader goal behind the effort: “I wanted to make this event to foster that sense of curiosity.”
At Spencer Center, coach Akshayaa Venkatakrishnan highlighted both the intellectual and social value:
“Our students love the opportunity to discuss and debate ethical perspectives on a variety of issues, and this event is a great opportunity to continue the conversation. Additionally, students are excited to meet with like-minded peers from other schools for a fun day of discussion.”
A Collaborative Effort
The partnership with the Cincinnati Ethics Center helped bring the event to life by:
- Providing all match materials and case resources
- Designing and producing event branding and promotional flyers
- Supplying certificates for Champions and Runner-Ups
- Supporting hospitality with breakfast for students and volunteers
- Staffing the event with judges and moderators
CEC staff—including Executive Director Andy Cullison, Director of K–12 Education Christina Baulch, and Program Coordinator Erin Barta—served alongside student interns and community volunteers to support the event as judges and moderators.
Brandon Craig, Cincinnati Public School Board President said “Watching the students work together and discuss complex ethics issues intelligently is remarkable and inspirational. The growth of ethics education in CPS is accredited to the passion that our students have for ethics and moral reasoning. I look forward to the further growth of High School Ethics Bowl and ethics education in CPS.”
Competition Highlights
Competition throughout the day remained tight. Walnut Hills High School emerged as the only undefeated team in preliminary rounds, while Shroder High School and Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students each finished with two wins, trading momentum across the day.
Determining the second Championship spot required advancing to the third level of tiebreak criteria, where Shroder’s +20 point differential ultimately secured their place—reflecting the strength of their performances across rounds.
The Championship round came down to the wire, with Walnut Hills High School claiming the title by an eight-point margin in a split judges’ decision over Shroder High School.
Building What Comes Next
Participation in the inaugural event reflects the five Cincinnati Public Schools currently engaged in regional Ethics Bowl competition—but organizers see this a a starting point, not a limit.
By creating a local, accessible opportunity outside of the national competition structure, the CPS Ethics Bowl provides an environment where more schools can explore participation, build programs, and introduce students to the format in a setting that emphasizes learning, dialogue, and growth. That approach is expected to help expand Ethics Bowl participation across the district over time.
More importantly, the day reinforced what makes Ethics Bowl distinctive: not competition for its own sake, but a platform for developing the habits of thoughtful citizenship. The first Cincinnati Public Schools Ethics Bowl was, at its core, about continuing that work—and opening the door for more students to be part of it.
