Marks & Harrison, a personal injury law firm with over a century of history in Virginia and Washington DC, has launched its first Driver Safety Scholarship Contest, offering $4,200 in total college scholarship funds to students who submit the top three entries. The initiative aims to raise awareness about distracted driving, which the firm identifies as one of the nation's leading causes of traffic accidents, while simultaneously supporting students pursuing higher education.
The contest offers substantial financial awards: a $2,000 scholarship for first place, $1,200 for second place, and $1,000 for third place. Eligibility is limited 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 targeted approach focuses the conversation on communities where the firm operates and where distracted driving education could have immediate local impact.
Participants must address a specific question in their submissions: "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?" Entries can take the form of an original essay of at least 1,000 words or a video essay lasting between five and six minutes. The tone may be serious or light-hearted, but submissions must be original, thoughtful, and well-researched. Only one entry per student is permitted, and all submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 2, 2025.
A panel will judge entries based on originality and creativity, with winners announced on Monday, June 2, 2025. Marks & Harrison will publish the winning entries on the firm's website and social media platforms, potentially amplifying the safety message beyond the contest participants. The firm's website at https://www.marksandharrison.com serves as a resource for those seeking more information about the contest and the firm's broader community safety initiatives.
This scholarship contest represents a strategic intersection of corporate social responsibility and public safety education. By incentivizing student creativity around distracted driving prevention, Marks & Harrison leverages educational funding to generate potentially innovative solutions to a persistent public health problem. The practical focus of the contest question suggests the firm seeks actionable ideas that could be implemented in local communities, moving beyond awareness campaigns to tangible reduction strategies.
The initiative's importance extends beyond the scholarship awards themselves. With distracted driving remaining a significant contributor to traffic accidents nationwide, engaging young people in developing prevention strategies taps into a demographic both affected by and potentially influential in changing driving behaviors. As future drivers and community leaders, contest participants may develop perspectives that could shape safety initiatives for years to come. The publication of winning entries on the firm's digital platforms could further disseminate these ideas to broader audiences.
For students, the contest offers not only financial support for education but also an opportunity to engage with a critical public safety issue while developing communication skills through essay or video creation. For the legal industry, it demonstrates how firms can contribute to prevention efforts alongside their traditional role in addressing consequences after accidents occur. The contest's regional focus on Virginia and Washington DC allows for targeted impact in communities where the firm has established presence and understands local driving patterns and challenges.
