The law firm Marks & Harrison has launched its first Driver Safety Scholarship Contest, offering $4,200 in total college scholarship awards to students who submit the top entries addressing distracted driving prevention. This initiative matters because it directly tackles one of the nation's leading causes of traffic accidents while providing tangible educational support to students in Virginia and Washington DC. The contest represents a strategic community investment that could yield innovative approaches to a persistent public safety challenge.
The contest is open to graduating high school seniors in Virginia and rising college freshmen enrolled in colleges or universities in Virginia or Washington DC, including those attending two-year and four-year institutions. This timing is significant because it targets students during a transitional academic period when financial support is particularly valuable. Students must submit an original essay of at least 1,000 words or a video essay lasting 5-6 minutes by the deadline of 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 2, 2025, with only one entry permitted per participant. The substantial content requirement ensures participants thoroughly research and consider the complexities of behavioral change regarding driving safety.
Entries must specifically address the question: "How can we educate our community about the dangers of distracted driving, and what are some practical ways we can drastically reduce distracted driving-related accidents?" The firm emphasizes that submissions can take either a serious or light-hearted tone, provided they are original, thoughtful, and well-researched. A panel will judge entries based on their originality and creativity in approaching this critical safety issue. This approach matters because it empowers young community members to contribute directly to solving a problem that affects them and their peers, potentially generating fresh perspectives that traditional awareness campaigns might miss.
Marks & Harrison, which has served Virginia communities for over 100 years and now operates in Washington DC, states that promoting safety in the communities it serves is a core commitment. The scholarship awards include $2,000 for first place, $1,200 for second place, and $1,000 for third place. Winners will be announced on Monday, June 2, 2025, with their entries published on the firm's website and social media platforms. This public recognition amplifies the contest's impact by disseminating the winning ideas to broader audiences.
This contest represents a dual-purpose initiative that simultaneously addresses educational support and public safety concerns. By engaging students directly in developing solutions to distracted driving, the firm hopes to generate innovative approaches to a persistent problem that affects communities nationwide. The firm's long history in personal injury law provides context for its focus on accident prevention, though the contest specifically emphasizes proactive solutions rather than legal responses to accidents. More information about the firm is available at https://www.marksandharrison.com. The initiative's importance lies in its potential to create a multiplier effect: not only does it provide immediate financial assistance to students, but it also cultivates a generation of safety-conscious citizens who have actively contributed to solving a critical community problem.
