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NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
July 19, 2010
Atlanta Student Wins
National Junior Achievement/Deloitte Essay Contest
Student Applies Ethical Decision-Making
Skills and Wins $5,000 College Scholarship in Sixth Annual “Excellence through
Ethics” Essay Contest
Colorado Springs,
Colo.
— Junior Achievement (JA) and Deloitte today announced that Kevin
Shutzberg, 18, of Atlanta, is the winner of the national "Excellence through
Ethics" essay contest.

The contest asked high school seniors to apply their knowledge of ethical
decision-making and share their views on the importance of ethical
decision-making by providing a solution to the
dilemma faced by Beth, a fictional high school student who discovers that
her online study group has procured an advance copy of a physics test. The
advance test had been described as a practice version by one of Beth's new
friends, but it turned out to be identical to the one administered in class.
When Beth discovers the apparent deception by her classmates, she is faced with
a series of difficult decisions.
Shutzberg's essay was selected by members of the Junior Achievement Blue
Ribbon Panel on Ethics, comprised of corporate ethics officers and university
professors. The essays were judged on how well the student analyzed the
situation, presented a well-supported argument in response to the dilemma, and
on how well they articulated the importance of making ethical decisions.
In his essay, Shutzberg recommended that Beth discuss the matter with her
teacher and suggest that a new test be administered, in order to level the
playing field with classmates who didn't have access to the advance test copy.
In addition, Shutzberg made thoughtful recommendations on how Beth could
approach the other decisions that were part of the quandary in which she found
herself.
Results of the seventh annual Junior Achievement/Deloitte Teen Ethics Survey,
which focused on the ethical implications of the popularity of social
networking, revealed that online social networks have become so central to
teens' lifestyles that more than half (58 percent) would consider their ability
to access them during working hours when weighing a job offer. Nearly 9 in 10
(88 percent) teens surveyed use social networks every day, with 70 percent
saying they participate in social networking an hour or more daily.
"Kevin's essay demonstrated a holistic understanding of the importance
of ethical behavior, and compellingly argued that the value of integrity and a
good reputation should trump the short-term gain represented by acing a test,"
said Jack E. Kosakowski, president and chief executive officer of Junior
Achievement USA. "We're pleased to help Kevin continue his education and are
proud to work with Deloitte to empower young people with the ethical
decision-making tools to face difficult situations with confidence."
The "Excellence through Ethics" essay contest is part of Deloitte's $2
million commitment to Junior Achievement to promote ethical decision making
among young people. It includes the creation of "JA Business Ethics," an
in-classroom ethics program for high school students, and "Excellence through
Ethics," a series of free, downloadable ethics lessons for students in grades
4-12 available at www.ja.org/ethics.
Business leaders agree that the essay contest is an important teaching
vehicle. "The annual JA/Deloitte Ethics Essay Contest is a great opportunity for
students to apply their knowledge and decision-making skills to 'real world'
situations in which they could easily find themselves," said Ainar D. Aijala,
Jr., global managing partner, consulting, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and immediate
past chairman of JA Worldwide. "We congratulate Kevin on writing the winning
essay and are pleased that the curricula we support has proven beneficial to so
many students."
Shutzberg, who participated in JA programs throughout high school, added, "I
am thrilled to accept the Excellence through Ethics college scholarship to help
me continue my education. My long-term goals include pursuing a well-rounded
education in engineering and a career that utilizes the entrepreneurial skills I
developed through the JA Fellows program. My participation in Junior Achievement
these past four years has better prepared me to face the challenges,
opportunities and realities of work and life in the 21st-century global
marketplace."
Shutzberg will attend Stanford University this fall, majoring in engineering
and applied mathematics, and plans to get his master's degree in business
administration upon completing his undergraduate studies.
A photo of Kevin Shutzberg is available upon request. Please visit
www.ja.org/ethics to read Kevin's winning
essay in its entirety.
About JA Worldwide® (Junior Achievement)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to inspiring
and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated
volunteer network, Junior Achievement provides in-school and after-school
programs for students which focus on three key content areas: work readiness,
entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Today, 126 individual area operations
reach more than four million students in the United States, with an additional
5.7 million students served by operations in 122 other countries worldwide. For
more information, visit www.ja.org.
About Deloitte
As used in this document, "Deloitte" means Deloitte LLP and Deloitte Services
LP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see
www.deloitte.com/us/about for a
detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its
subsidiaries.
Please see
www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and its member firms.
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