(BBB Wisconsin)
Better Business Bureau® (BBB) Wisconsin has awarded 15 Wisconsin high school seniors each a $2,500 scholarship as part of its annual statewide BBB Students of Integrity Scholarship program. These scholarships are intended for post-high school education at any Wisconsin-based accredited college beginning in the fall; two of the 15 scholarships are reserved for students who will be attending two-year college programs, and two are reserved for students in the Milwaukee Public School system.
The winners are listed in alphabetical order along with their high school's name and intended college:
- Josue Andrade-Ortega (Berlin High School, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse)
- Yosef Edsell (Oshkosh West High School, Marquette University)
- Sydney Ewald (Burlington High School, University of Wisconsin - Madison)
- Jadyn Garbacz (Prairie du Chien High School, University of Wisconsin - Madison)
- Alison George (Mondovi High School, University of Wisconsin - River Falls)
- Doricela Herrera-Sanchez (Milwaukee School of Languages, Milwaukee Area Technical College)
- Justyna Jakacki (Mauston High School, University of Wisconsin – Madison)
- Rachel Leudtke (Oconomowoc High School, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse)
- Matthew Sarenac (Ronald Reagan College Preparatory High School, University of Wisconsin - Madison)
- Jacob Schmaling (Parker High School, University of Wisconsin - Madison)
- Alexa Schoen (Marshfield High School, University of Wisconsin - Madison)
- Zoey Schwartz (Bloomer High School, Chippewa Valley Technical College)
- Natalie Sippel (Campbellsport High School, Moraine Park Technical College);
- TJ Sondelski (Wausau West High School, University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Business)
- Ava Spreitzer (Watertown High School, University of Wisconsin – Whitewater)
Scholarship recipients are chosen by an independent judging panel made up of community and business leaders, including a past scholarship recipient. Recipients of the scholarship program are chosen primarily from letters of reference and a personal essay, which prompts students to discuss an ethical dilemma they have faced and to describe how they dealt with that issue based on their understanding of integrity and ethics. This year’s scholarship winners discussed ethical dilemmas related to workplace ethics, family values, social injustices, and personal commitments.
On alerting his boss to unethical behavior in the workplace, Josue Andrade-Ortega says in his winning essay: “This experience taught me that integrity is not always rewarded with approval from others. Doing what is right can cause some relationships to be damaged, but that does not mean it is not worth doing.”
“These students demonstrate a clear understanding of the diverse nature of ethical dilemmas and have proven their ability to navigate them effectively. By sharing their journeys, they illuminate in all of us a desire for excellence and a commitment to the highest ethical accountability,” says Julie Albrecht, Executive Director of the BBB Wisconsin Foundation. “The students and their families have every reason to be proud.”
Since 2010, the BBB Wisconsin Foundation has awarded $377,500.00 in scholarships to these deserving BBB Students of Integrity. Funding for the 2025 BBB Students of Integrity Scholarship program is provided by the generous support of donors, including: Presenting Sponsor: We Energies Foundation; Trust Sponsors: Dave Jones, Baird, Johnson Financial Group, Educators Credit Union, Roger and Shirley Schroeder, Plum Media; Table Sponsors: Associated Bank, Basement Repair Specialists, Catholic Financial Life, Concordia University, Green Bay Packers, Harley Davidson, Ellenbecker Investment Group, Milwaukee Brewers, The Difference Principle, University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.
Scholarship recipients will be recognized at the annual BBB Ethics Awards Luncheon on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee. The Luncheon also honors winners of the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics™ and BBB Spark Awards™ for Entrepreneurship. Registration for the Torch Awards for Ethics Luncheon is available here.