Local student wins Better Business Bureau scholarship

Warren Township High School senior Brittany Ells was the recipient of one of four $2,500, one-year college scholarships from the Better Business Bureau Educational Foundation at the Annual Torch Awards Luncheon on Nov. 21.

The scholarships are awarded based on demonstration of leadership skills, community service, academic achievement and a written or video essay on what ethics and integrity mean to the candidate.

“The Educational Foundation received many scholarship applications this year. Each of the four winners had a clear understanding of why ethics and integrity are important in both business and in the community,” Better Business Bureau Educational Foundation Chair Kimberly Svoboda said. “Our winners surpassed my expectations.”

Ells has been on her high school’s honor roll every semester with over a 4.0 GPA and is a member of National Honor Society.

She has also been a member of the JV tennis team, worked as a student assistant for a physical education class for special needs students and worked as a student athletic trainer.

In addition to being involved at school, she is her 4-H club’s president, organized a 5K walk/run fundraiser for USO of Illinois and is a member of 4-H Lake County Extension. Ells will be attending UW-Oshkosh in the fall, majoring in kinesiology and minoring in neuroscience.

The three other scholarship recipients were Tyler Harris of Saint Viator High School, Joseph Horwitz of Glenbrook South High School and Jake Siebert of Buffalo Grove High School.

The mission of the Educational Foundation is to provide information and develop resources that promote and build awareness of ethical business practices and marketplace trust to consumers and businesses.