Rotary Ethics contest winner

Congratulations to Arcadia High School senior Eric Fornaciari, the winner of this year’s Arcadia Rotary Club George R. Hensel Ethics Essay Contest.

“As Rotarians, we believe that ethics is, and should be, a part of our everyday lives,” said Dr. Brad Miller, Arcadia Rotary Club president.

Eric Fornaciari

With the contest’s overall theme of “ethics in general,” Fornaciari’s essay titled “Integrity or Friendship,” “describes a situation where a strong friendship is weakened due to a temporary lapse in judgment by another.” “It goes on to describe how eventually I had to back off the friendship in order to maintain my integrity,” said Fornaciari. Fornaciari is an Eagle Scout and has been active in water polo and soccer for the past three years. He is Publicity Commissioner of the school’s Senior Men and Women leadership and service group and served as the 2011 Relay for Life team captain. Future plans include attending UCLA this September to study computer science. “Eric is a wonderful student ready to graduate from Arcadia High School,” said Assistant Principal Catherine Merel. “Thank you for giving our students an opportunity to express their opinions in such a meaningful way.” Fornaciari will continue to represent the club as the contest continues and had advanced to the third level of the competition at the time of publication. The overall winning essay will be presented at Rotary’s district conference this June where the winning contestant will be awarded a $3,000 scholarship.

The contest, founded and fully funded by late Montebello club member George Hensel, was designed to challenge high school students to analyze ethical issues and concerns confronting them in today’s complex world. The purpose of the contest, in its twelfth year, is to promote the importance of ethics among today’s youth, to encourage them to express their views, and to fulfill Rotary’s commitment to vocational service. Open to all high school students in Rotary District 5300, the contest serves as an opportunity for students to win scholarships as well as a venue for youth to express their views on ethics. It is hoped the contest will promote healthy dialog between adults and youth in this area. “Other Rotary district contests attract musicians and public speakers, the so-called performers of the world,” said a district spokesperson. “This is a contest for those whose talents are not usually displayed in public, those who can write well.” The essay must be between 500 and 1,000 words and must be an original, unpublished work of the student. Essays are judged on composition, content, and creativity.

— by Anne Donofrio-Holter