Students from five area high schools will debate contemporary ethical issues at the second annual Arkansas High School Ethics Bowl at UALR.

The competition will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development.

Conway Christian, Episcopal Collegiate, Lake Hamilton High School, Little Rock Central High School, and McClellan High School will be represented in the competition.

High school ethics bowls are team competitions in which students debate a variety of contemporary issues in practical and professional ethics. Teams face off in rounds during which two cases are considered.

Moderators distribute a specific ethical question for each case. Though they do not know the actual question until the round begins, the teams have had seven weeks to prepare arguments regarding the central ethical concerns pertinent to each case.

These concerns include proprietary rights, the potential impact of geo-engineering on the environment, and issues of professional ethics in both the private and public sectors. The teams are judged in terms of the coherence of their presentation, the relevance of their ethical considerations as well as their thoughtfulness.

Seventeen regional competitions will be held across the country with the top teams earning a spot in the National High School Ethics Bowl including the winner of the Arkansas High School Ethics Bowl.

The second annual National High School Ethics Bowl will take place April 4 and 5 at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Contact organizer Allison Merrick at axmerrick@ualr.edu for more information.