5 San Diego Area Students Win Scholarships From BBB Pacific Southwest

SAN DIEGO, CA — Five San Diego area students received scholarships for acting with integrity.

The Better Business Bureau serving the Pacific Southwest awarded scholarships to five high school seniors in San Diego County for their essays on "The Importance of Character and Ethics." The annual Ethical Torch Essay Scholarship contest asks students to share a personal experience about doing the right thing when they faced an ethical dilemma.

First place winner Olivia Ngo, a San Diego resident and student at Mira Mesa High School, shared that she declined to help a coworker who wanted her to clock in for his shift when he wasn't in the mood to come to work. She won $1,500 for her essay.

"Ultimately, I am proud of my decision to defend honest work that night," Ngo said. "Although it may have only been one dinner shift at a restaurant, it was an honest and right choice to make."

Maryam Mohamed, a San Diego resident and student at Hoover High School, won the $1,250 second-place prize.

"I now realize that ethics is not about blindly following rules but requires making difficult decisions and standing up for what is right, even when it is easier to compromise," Mohamed said.

Pablo Mora of San Ysidro received third place. Mora, who attends Chula Vista Learning Community Charter High School, won $1,000 for his essay.

"The experience not only enriched my understanding of ethics but also contributed to my personal growth, reinforcing the value of integrity, teamwork, and responsibility in all aspects of life," he said.

Dariel Lucio earned $750 for fourth place. The San Ysidro resident attends San Ysidro High School.

"I realized that ethical growth goes beyond merely doing what is expected; it involves introspection and continuous evaluation of one's values," Lucio said.

Fifth place winner Jillian Rudolph received a $500 scholarship. The El Cajon resident attends El Capitan High School.

"My choice to embrace honesty deepened my classmates' trust in me and led me to discover that self-respect founded in adherence to morality is more valuable than social approval at the cost of truth," Rudolph said.

Scholarships applications for next year will open on Jan. 1, 2024.