UPDATE: A winner has been selected and notified by email. Thank you to all of the students that submitted an essay and told their own story about the perils of texting and driving. We were blown away by the talent and reflection present in the submissions, which numbered over a thousand. Stay tuned for next year’s scholarship details, coming soon.
As an insurance agency, The Zebra has a natural interest in keeping drivers safe—fewer distracted drivers mean fewer accidents, which drives rates down for everyone—win-win, right? But as a group of individuals, and drivers, with our own lives, our own loved ones and our own concerns, we have a truly vested interest in stopping texting and driving, too.
We knew from water-cooler conversation that the dangers of texting and driving, much like those of drinking and driving, had touched many of our lives. Some of us even admitted to occasional dangerous distracted driving habits. But as we talked, it became clear: Everyone had experienced that moment when it comes to texting and driving. The moment that the very real danger crystallizes before you and you simply can’t ignore it anymore. The moment that actually causes a permanent change in your behavior. Out of these talks came an idea: why not create an opportunity for others to share the insights they have found in an illuminating moment? That is what the Safe Driver Scholarship is about: the chance for students nationwide to inspire and educate us, our readers, and young drivers everywhere who could benefit from their peers’ experience.
The Moment it all Changed: Why I Stopped Texting & Driving
PROMPT:
So we want to know, students: What did that moment look like for you? Did you hear or witness a story that touched you? Did a particularly sharp point of data whip your right-brained self into the proper perspective?
Tell us, in a well-developed essay of 500 – 1,000 words: What was the moment that you decided to stop texting and driving, knowing once and for all that you would stick to it? And why was this moment the one it all changed for you?
DETAILS:
- Selected winner(s) will be awarded a check for $500.
- Applications must be received no later than 11:59pm CST on August 31, 2015.
- Essays will be reviewed by a panel of editorial and insurance experts.
- Winner(s) will be selected and notified by e-mail by September 15, 2015.
- Winning essays will be published on Quoted, The Zebra’s premier online news publication.
HOW TO APPLY:
- Send essay to scholarship@thezebra.com
- With your submission, please include your name, address, phone number, and a copy of your current transcript.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Applicants must be currently enrolled at a four-year university, graduate program, community college, trade school, or high school located in the continental United States, and must provide proof of enrollment in the form of a school transcript.
TERMS:
The Zebra is committed to protecting your privacy and providing a safe online experience. By submitting your scholarship application, you consent to the collection and use of your personal information for the sole purpose of The Zebra’s Safe Driver Scholarship. The Zebra reserves the right to publish submitted work at the conclusion of the entry period.
