Milwaukee, Wis. – Better Business Bureau (BBB) has awarded 10 Wisconsin high school seniors each a $2,500 scholarship as a 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 10 scholarships are awarded to students attending two-year college programs, and two are awarded to students in the Milwaukee Public School system.
The winners are listed in alphabetical order along with their high school’s name and intended college:
- Addison Achter (Kiel High School, University of Wisconsin – Madison);
- Brooklynn Bays-Lawrence (Riverside University High School, Marquette University);
- Vivian Brown (Thorp High School, University of Wisconsin – Madison);
- Kate Haase (Oakfield High School, Moraine Park Technical College);
- Kayley Medema (Waupun Jr/Sr High School, University of Wisconsin – Stout);
- Evelyn Ramirez (Ronald Reagan High School, Marquette University);
- Gabriella Sailer (Durand – Arkansaw High School, University of Wisconsin – River Falls);
- Tahlia Scheithauer (Rib Lake High School, Northcentral Technical College);
- Miley Smith (Baldwin Woodville High School; University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire);
- Jacquelynn Yost (Marshfield High School, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point).
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 overcoming a difficult situation with her sports team and fulfilling her duty as team captain, Tahlia Scheithauer says in her winning essay: “This experience taught me that integrity often requires uncomfortable honesty and quiet courage. I learned that leadership is not about avoiding conflict or protecting comfort, but about doing what is right for the greater good. The values my parents, coaches, and mentors have instilled in me guided my decision and continue to shape how I lead — by example, with humility, and with respect for others.”
Since 2010, the BBB Wisconsin Foundation has awarded $402,500.00 in scholarships to these deserving BBB Students of Integrity. Funding for the 2026 BBB Students of Integrity Scholarship program is provided by the generous support of donors, including: We Energies Foundation, Dave Jones, Siding Unlimited LLC, Catholic Financial Life, John A. Zaganczyk Jr., Johnson Financial Group, Verizon Wireless and Educators Credit Union.
Scholarship recipients will be recognized at the annual BBB Ethics Awards Ceremony & Luncheon on Thursday, May 14, 2026, 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 BBB Ethics Luncheon is available here.
For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
ABOUT BBB: The Better Business Bureau has empowered people to find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust for more than 110 years. In 2024, people turned to BBB.org more than 220 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 5.5 million businesses, and 725,000 times for BBB charity reports on 12,000 local and national charities. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States and Canada.
