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2024 Update:
We will not be holding the Scholarship Contest this year – there’s so much going on behind the scenes here! Please bookmark this page and check back in December for updates on the competition for 2025. Have a great spring semester!
DRIVE SAFE and BE WELL
– from all at CLAW
7th Annual Christensen Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship Contest 2022
As Michigan car accident attorneys, we’ve seen the devastating effects of distracted driving firsthand. Christensen Law’s annual Distracted Driving Scholarship Contest was established as part of our commitment to increasing awareness about the tragic consequences of distracted driving among young people while also helping to fund their education.
We received hundreds of incredible entries this year and would like to thank everyone who participated for their effort and advocacy. It is our hope that they will continue to spread awareness about the dangers of distracted, drunk, and/or impaired driving.
Our team gathered to review the inspiring, emotional, and imaginative submissions and cast their votes for the essay, graphic, or video that they felt best embodied the mission of our contest. Ultimately, one video stood out among them all and captured everyone’s attention.
AND THE WINNER IS…AARON CHAN!
Aaron’s video submission made a lasting impression on our team. Combining statistics, practical tips, and humor, his message was both creative and persuasive. His submission shows awareness of his target audience and provides relevant, substantial examples that support our objective – all while remaining humorous! We wish Aaron the best of luck in his future academic endeavors as a freshman at Elon University.
View Aaron’s video here:
The 2022 Contest
SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JULY 4, 2022
We’re excited to announce the launch of the 2022 scholarship competition! Kicking it off with us is last year’s winner, Joe Hobson from Witchita State University, who is visiting from Kansas and working with the firm on a new project!
This year, we are opening the submissions to include multiple formats: video, essay, and graphic design. We want to encourage the amazing level of creativity we saw last year, as we continue to pursue our goal of raising awareness about the dangers of distracted, drunk, and impaired driving. One winner will be determined amongst all the submissions, by secret ballot of the entire Christensen Law team at our “watch party” in July. (We love any opportunity to get together with food, popcorn, candy, etc.)
WIN A $1,500 SCHOLARSHIP
TELL US WHY it’s important to increase awareness about the dangers of distracted, impaired, and/or drunk driving and how they can be prevented.
Distracted, drunk, and impaired driving are leading causes of auto accidents. While many understand the risks associated with drunk driving, there are many other “impairments” that can also result in serious accidents, from medication to sleep deprivation, and especially distraction.
Distracted driving is increasingly cited as a primary cause of accidents – and it comes in many forms. While texting or using a smartphone is a common cause, other activities such as eating, talking with passengers, applying makeup, shaving, or even changing the radio station can cause someone to lose focus and take their hands off the steering wheel or their eyes off the road, resulting in a crash or collision.
We’ve seen firsthand the devastating effects of these types of accidents. We have represented clients who have suffered severe, life-changing injuries that could have been avoided had someone not looked away to pick up a drink, food, or their phone. Especially concerning is that motor vehicle accidents account for the majority of accidental injury deaths among young adults. It is our hope that by offering this scholarship, we can help save lives and raise awareness about the dangers of distracted, drunk, and impaired driving.
ELIGIBILITY
We know college is expensive – books, tuition, living expenses – it all adds up. We want to help college students by offering a $1,500 scholarship through this initiative. The contest is open to high school seniors and anyone pursuing post-secondary education at an accredited college or university in the US.
ENTRIES
This year, we are accepting 3 different types of submissions. Use persuasive writing, messaging, or strong video and/or static visuals to increase awareness, highlight dangers, and promote prevention of distracted/drunk/impaired driving. Your audience is young drivers, as that continues to be the most vulnerable group.
Submission Types (select one):
- A 60-second “public service announcement” video. Shoot your video in 16:9 format.
- An original essay between 1500-2000 words: a real or fictional story, a speech, or any written original work that will compel your peers. Submit in Microsoft Word format.
- An original graphic (1080 x 1080 px) of your own design (no templates) that presents a compelling static visual message. Submit a high-resolution (300 dpi) PNG format image.
HOW TO ENTER
- Complete the entry form and consent waiver at the bottom of this page.
- Upload your headshot photo. Please make sure it contains your actual name in the file name — e.g., John_Doe_headshot. jpg
- Upload a copy of your submission using this naming convention: LastnameFirstname_CLAWScholarship_Date — e.g., John_Doe_CLAWScholarship_03 01 2022
SHARE IT
If you want to share your submission on social media, please do:
- Tag and follow us: @davidchristensenlaw on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook
- Use the hashtags #CLAWscholarship and #scholarship
- Ensure your video is set to be accessible/viewable by the general public
- Allow duetting on TikTok and comments/sharing on all social platforms
WINNING SUBMISSION
One submission will be chosen based on overall quality and how effectively it meets the criteria. The winning entry will be promoted on our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn) and on our website. By submitting your entry, you are giving up all rights to the piece and granting us permission to repost and publish the piece at our discretion.
THE RULES
- Deadline to Apply: July 4, 2022.
- Only 1 entry per person will be accepted.
- Winner will be notified via the contact information provided and announced publicly on July 18, 2022.
- Complete the entry form and consent waiver below and upload a copy of your submission and your headshot.
- Proof of identity and current school enrollment will be required. If a high school senior, a copy of your college acceptance letter will be acceptable.
- A check for the full amount will be made payable to the winner’s college or university. The winning student will be expected to adhere to all applicable IRS regulations regarding the scholarship award.
- Christensen Law reserves the right to unlimited use, at its sole discretion, of applicants’ and winner’s submission, image, name, social media accounts, and likeness for the purpose of this contest.
- Applicants guarantee that their submission (a) is their own original work; (b) does not infringe the rights of any third party (music, images, etc.); and that (c) they have secured releases from any persons depicted/shown/featured in their submission.
- By participating in the 2022 Distracted Driving Scholarship Contest, applicants agree to abide by these Rules and our published Privacy Policy.
- Applicants under the age of 18 at the time of submission MUST check the box on the submission stating you have parental/guardian consent to participate.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR SUBMISSION – GOOD LUCK!
WATCH LAST YEAR’S WINNING ENTRY HERE:
