DAYTON – The Better Business Bureau’s Center for Business and Consumer Ethics, Inc. announced the winners of its Students of Integrity awards, including students from Anna and Fort Loramie.
This is the 18th year the BBB serving Dayton/Miami Valley has recognized local high school seniors who exemplify strong ethics and integrity. The award includes a $1,000 college scholarship.
The Students of Integrity will be honored July 28 at the Better Business Bureau’s Eclipse Integrity Awards held at the David H. Ponitz Sinclair Center.
Blake Holthaus
Fort Loramie High School
Fort Loramie
Holthaus has been inspired by the motto of the FFA: “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve.” He has taken it as his personal motto and plans to carry it with him as he attends The Ohio State University, pursuing a career as an orthopedic surgeon.
Holthaus has served in many leadership positions at school, such as captain of the football team, president of the National Honor Society and senior class treasurer.
During his time volunteering at a local food distribution pantry, he noticed the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables and led a campaign to raise funds so the pantry could purchase fresh produce. The campaign is expected to provide nearly 1,700 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Lindsay McEldowney
Anna High School
Anna
McEldowney’s feet are in the present while her eyes are fixed on the future.
As a member of FFA, she created, developed and maintains the FFA’s social media platform. This dovetails into her plans to attend the University of Dayton and major in entrepreneurship and business marketing with a minor in communications.
But, McEldowney’s outreach does not end with the FFA; she also holds leadership positions with the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America; the county junior fair board; the 4H club and the yearbook staff.
McEldowney is a teacher’s assistant, was in the school musical and is an active part of her church youth group and works as a kennel technician at a local vet. Through volunteerism she wrote that she “discovered the importance of being part of the bigger picture, rather than just myself.”
Chandler Mathews
Stivers School for The Arts
Dayton
Mathews admitted that at first, she was more comfortable being behind the scenes of volunteerism than being a leader. However, once she stepped forward into the leadership positions, she found it enlightening.
She now is secretary of the symphonic choir, treasurer of the National Honor Society and served as the captain of the cheerleading squad and a student mentor. Outside of school, Mathews has been a financial committee member for a worldwide ministry, a volunteer at House of Bread and Clothes That Work and volunteered with local tornado recovery efforts.
Even with her school and volunteer activities, she’s earned a 4.29 GPA.
Mathews plans to major in mechanical engineering and has learned that “title does not make you a leader, your actions and character do.”
Grace Maziar
Bishop Fenwick High School
Franklin
Student council. Peer mentor. Varsity athlete. Honors student. These are just a few of the positions Maziar holds at school. Outside of school, she’s a dedicated volunteer, as well as a volleyball coach.
Though Maziar has not entirely decided what her major will be at college, she is leaning toward business management and marketing. To this end, she and her classmates developed and marketed a picture sharing app for a school simulation.
Maziar has been inspired by her volunteer work with Matthew 25 Ministries and St. Susanna Peanut Butter and Jelly Ministries and has earned leadership positions within several organizations.
Maziar wrote, “Each volunteer is like a water droplet. Alone, we can achieve so little. But together, we can create an ocean.”
Mandi Weitz
Carroll High School
Dayton
Weitz plans to major in kinesiology and dance, which makes sense considering her passion for dance and choreography, having won awards for her choreography of a featured section of the school musical and having choreographed portions of a musical with a local community theater.
But, life isn’t all dance and music – Weitz maintains an honors GPA, has been a summer lifeguard, has participated in Carroll’s student volunteer programs all four years of high school and has been a dedicated volunteer at the El Puente Learning Center.
Weitz’s experiences have taught her that while no one can ever be truly perfect, striving for perfection ensures you’ll always be your best self.
She wrote, “Moral compass in hand, I will extend my heart and join those working toward a slightly more perfect world.”
A panel of independent judges selected these five students from the more than 70 applications. All high schools in BBB’s service area received invitations to nominate two outstanding students from their senior classes.
Better Business Bureau believes identifying and honoring young people for strong integrity and character is vital to its mission of promoting ethics in the marketplace. Like the Eclipse Integrity Awards, the Students of Integrity highlight outstanding ethics.
“The Better Business Bureau and Center for Business and Consumer Ethics continue to be proud to support and spotlight the outstanding young people in our community,” John North, president and CEO of BBB serving Dayton and the Miami Valley, said. “This year’s class of honorees have had unique successes and challenges given the new post-pandemic world we emerge into. They handled themselves with grace and glory while they, their families and school districts came up with new and innovative ways to celebrate so many notable accomplishments. We also salute you not just for your 12 years of hard and diligent work on your road to success but for your efforts to give back to your communities and, finally, for your perseverance.”
