To celebrate their completion of the BBB Student Ambassador Program, 16 high school students gathered as the BBB presented them with awards and scholarships for their diligence in educating young consumers.As a result of high disposable income, young consumers are often the objects of scams. In order to put an end to this targeted fraud, the Better Business Bureau created the Student Ambassador program, in partnership with Union Bank.Created in 2006, the Program has reached thousands of teenagers across the county. This year alone, students spoke to over 2,900 of their peers, according to Mona Terry, BBB Director of Operations and Student Ambassador Coordinator.In the beginning of each year, the BBB sends invitations for up to 4 juniors or seniors to participate in the program. Once students are chosen, they attend a two hour training which covers how to check your credit to the importance of keeping your private information private.After training, the young ambassadors set off to present the information they’ve learned to their peers. Though they are required to give at least one presentation a month between March and May, scholarship recipients are chosen based on which students were able to reach the most of their peers over the course of those three months.“By arming our Student Ambassadors with the knowledge of how to protect themselves from identity theft and providing them knowledge of how to use their money wisely, we empower high school aged students to teach their peers how to be savvier consumers and help spend their hard earned money in wise and safe ways,” said Terry.And the winner is…This year’s awards ceremony, which took place last May in the Union Bank building of Downtown San Diego, was packed with students, parents, siblings and teachers as they awaited the results.

1. Taking third place Christine Girten and Quintasia Walker of San Diego High School split a $1,000 scholarship, after speaking to 468 students in 15 speeches,
2. In second place, dividing a $1,500 scholarship was Ashley McQuerter and Dylan Phan of Serra High School who spoke to 524 students over 20 speeches.
3. The grand prize winners, took home a $2,500 scholarship. Whitney White and Jose Morales of San Diego High School spoke to a whopping 843 students in 30 speeches.

For more information about the Student Ambassador Program, visit BBB.org or email Mona Terry at mterry@sandiego.bbb.org.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click here to get loan information before the rates go up. To get started on viewing San Diego County homes, condos, investment properties, pre-foreclosures, bank owned foreclosures (REO’s) or thinking of selling your property, please contact County Properties today for free counseling at (619) 540-5811 or (619) 301-0200 .New Pro-Property Search. County Properties will setup a customized search for you by our professional REALTOR® Team. Sit back relax and shop at home! We will make changes to your Pro-Property Search any time you like, just let us know. Have fun!By the way…if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service in real estate we provide, please call me or have them go to www.CountyProperties.net/ and I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them.