COLORADO SPRINGS - Tracey Latimore of Joliet, Ill., was selected as the winner of a $5,000 college scholarship in the "Excellence through Ethics" essay contest sponsored by Deloitte & Touche USA LLP and JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement). Contestants were asked to compose an original essay in response to an ethical dilemma about two teenage friends who work together at a restaurant. The dilemma was posted on Junior Achievement's Web site, www.ja.org from October through December 2004. The contest garnered more than 8,000 submissions from U.S. high school seniors.

The "Excellence through Ethics" essay contest entries were judged by the Junior Achievement Blue Ribbon Panel on Ethics, an advisory group composed of corporate ethics officers and noted academics. The essays were judged on originality, use of a sound ethical argument, spelling and grammar. Latimore, a senior at Joliet West High School, plans to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia in the fall, majoring in journalism and psychology.
"JA Worldwide is thrilled to recognize Tracey's outstanding achievement, and we are proud to award her this scholarship," said David S. Chernow, president and chief executive officer of JA Worldwide. "The vast number of submissions we received speaks to the great need for ethics instruction in our nation's classrooms. Through the enormous generosity of Deloitte, we have introduced to thousands of young people the importance of ethics in our society."

The quality of the essays was impressive. "Tracey suggested using a framework of questions to resolve the dilemma and also expressed a great deal of empathy," said Harold Tinkler, chief ethics and compliance officer of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP and a member of the JA Blue Ribbon Panel on Ethics. "It was inspiring to read such a well-reasoned ethical argument by a young person."

"I am honored that my essay was selected as the winner," said Latimore. "This scholarship will help me to realize my dreams. I am eager to start college and commence the next chapter in my life and am grateful to Deloitte and to Junior Achievement for this generous award. This essay contest is a great way to get kids thinking about ethics and the importance of doing the right thing."

Junior Achievement programs are delivered by a classroom volunteer from the community, and teach K-12 students important concepts such as personal financial literacy, entrepreneurship, ethics and character, and economics. The "Excellence through Ethics" initiative is composed of supplemental lessons for Junior Achievement programs in grades 4-12, and was underwritten by Deloitte. The lessons are available for download at www.ja.org/ethics, and teach students the importance of sound, ethical behavior in all areas of life.

About JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement)
JA Worldwide is the world's largest organization dedicated to educating young people about business, economics and entrepreneurship. Through a dedicated volunteer network, JA Worldwide provides in-school and after-school programs for students in grades K-12. JA Worldwide offers educational programs that focus on seven key content areas: business, citizenship, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics/character, financial literacy, and career development. Today, 145 offices reach four million students in the United States, with more than 2.6 million students served by operations in 97 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.ja.org.

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