The contest asked high school seniors to apply their knowledge of ethical decision-making and share their views on the importance of ethics in business by providing a solution to an ethical dilemma. The dilemma was about a teenager working in an insurance office who was pressured by her boss to falsify an insurance application from his friend, who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness but could not afford health care coverage, in order to help him.

Ly's essay was selected by members of the Junior Achievement Blue Ribbon Panel on Ethics, comprised of corporate ethics officers and academicians. The essays were judged on how well the student analyzed the situation, if they presented a well-supported argument in response to the dilemma, and how thoughtfully they articulated the importance of ethics in business.

In her essay, Ly, who plans to attend Columbia University in the fall, recommended that the young woman resist the pressure from her boss to falsify the application, help her boss's friend by holding fundraisers to pay for his treatment, and engage the media to bring attention to the challenges faced by the uninsured and underinsured. She also recommended that the young woman work with her boss to organize ethics training in the workplace to ensure that the company's policies were above reproach.

"Laura demonstrated in her essay a solid understanding of the importance of ethical behavior. Her solution not only recommended an appropriate solution to the immediate issue, but more importantly recognized the need for institutional changes that would foster an ethical environment in the workplace," said Sean C. Rush, president and chief executive officer of Junior Achievement.

Junior Achievement and Deloitte recently launched JA Business Ethics, developed to address the needs of high school students with hands-on classroom activities and real-life applications. Students examine how their beliefs align with major ethics theories and learn the benefits and advantages of having a code of ethics. Additionally, Junior Achievement recently updated its original Deloitte-sponsored ethics program, Excellence through Ethics, which is available online at ja.org free of charge and provides age-appropriate lessons for students in grades 4-12.