Junior Achievement of South Dakota is partnering with nearly 500 business executives and community leaders across the state to prompt students to learn the importance of ethics and challenge students about the choices they are making.

Through the JA Excellence through Ethics program, over 9,500 South Dakota middle and high school students from 33 communities will learn from executive-level volunteers about the importance of ethics.  The JA Ethics volunteers will provide each student an opportunity to think critically about ethical dilemmas they may face.  The program’s aim is to show students that the adults around them value ethical behavior. Students need strong character qualities like respect, fairness, and a positive attitude, to become self-disciplined, lifelong learners at school, work, and beyond. As students they will discover that character matters.

On Wednesday, December 4, over 100 Dell Rapids students and 150 Baltic students will participate in the program. The JA Ethics volunteers will conduct activities, lead discussions, and share real-life ethical decisions they have faced and how they responded. Through these discussions, students will learn the importance of ethics and ethical decision-making and how ethical and unethical choices affect everyone in a community.

Kayla Eitreim, President of Junior Achievement of South Dakota, stated, “Junior Achievement is grateful for the opportunity to help prepare today’s students to become South Dakota’s future leaders.  Through our impactful volunteers, JA Ethics students will better understand the importance of ethical decision-making and how ethics is vital in the workplace and in life.