The Film & the Early-Access Opportunity

The APA is pleased to share a high-impact opportunity to put philosophy in front of more students and communities. The Bowl—a new verité documentary from Ethereal Films—follows an all-girls high school team through the tenth annual National High School Ethics Bowl, capturing the pressure, friendship, and genuine intellectual growth that make Ethics Bowl a powerful gateway to philosophy. Filmed with exclusive access granted after years of conversation with NHSEB organizers, the story centers real student voices as they learn to argue with clarity, curiosity, and care. While The Bowl is a PBS documentary broadcasting in 2026, the filmmakers are offering early access for a grassroots screening tour. Departments, programs, high schools, libraries, and community groups can sign up now for priority access to the film and materials. This early window is the best time to host a campus/community event, build local momentum, and connect your students with the wider Ethics Bowl movement. Several major philosophy departments have already requested orders, and we hope that momentum will cascade into high schools, seeding new teams and strengthening existing ones. Your sign-up helps build that pipeline from university enthusiasm to K–12 engagement.

Sign up (takes ~30 seconds): https://etherealfilms.org/bowl/

Use It on Campus, in Class, and in Community

The Bowl is 30 minutes—short enough for a single class session and rich enough to anchor public programs. Hosts receive a free educator kit (lesson plan + discussion guide) to run an Ethics-Bowl-style activity with minimal prep. That combination—digestible runtime plus turnkey pedagogy—makes the film ideal for:

• Courses: philosophy, ethics, communication, education, social studies, and first-year seminars; quick to embed in syllabi and LMS.
• Campus & community events: department colloquia, student clubs, libraries, and civic dialogues; the guide supports respectful, rigorous conversation for general audiences.
• Professional development: teacher PD and advisor training; the activity reinforces listening, steel-manning, stakeholder awareness, and reason-giving.
• Optional filmmaker participation: the Ethereal Films team is eager to join events (virtual or in person) to energize discussion, model facilitation, and support organizers.
  Behind the film is Ethereal Films, an internationally recognized, award-winning documentary team known for impact campaigns that translate films into social change The project is endorsed by the American Philosophical Association, and screenings with the filmmakers are planned alongside APA regional conferences in 2026—a signal of strong community enthusiasm and a ready-made chance to connect your event with a national conversation.

Act Now

1. Sign up today (no cost): complete the brief form to receive priority access to the film and the educator kit: https://etherealfilms.org/bowl/
2. Choose your format: classroom screening, campus/community event, or both
3. Run the activity: use the lesson plan and discussion prompts to host an engaging Ethics-Bowl-style session with minimal prep
4. (Optional) Add the filmmakers: invite the team to join live to amplify energy and model facilitation
5. Share broadly: forward this opportunity to colleagues in philosophy, social studies, education, libraries, student life, and debate/ethics programs so the momentum reaches more high schools

Director Statement

Eli Yetter-Bowman, the film’s director, was a student at UNC nearly 10 years ago and took a class that required they mentor a local team and they were immediately hooked. They have volunteered with the program every year since then. The Parr Center and its director for the 2023 Competition hand selected Eli and their team to capture the footage as a proof of concept, which ultimately became The Bowl.