Michigan Auto Law will be awarding $5,000 in scholarships to four Michigan High School Juniors and Seniors through their 2025 Kelsey’s Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship. 11th and 12th grade students attending any public or private high school in Michigan are encouraged to create and submit compelling messages through YouTube videos, graphics, or TikTok posts that discourage their peers from distracted driving. Applications for the 2025 Kelsey’s Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship are being accepted now at www.MichiganAutoLaw.com. Applications will be accepted through March 21, 2025 and winners will be announced in April 2025 to coincide with National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
The Kelsey’s Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship, was created in 2016 by Michigan Auto Law, the largest law firm in Michigan that specializes exclusively in helping auto accident victims, to honor Kelsey Raffaele, a 17-year-old who tragically lost her life in a cell phone-related automobile crash in 2010.
Through this scholarship and their many community outreach efforts, Michigan Auto Law hopes to inspire change and raise awareness on the dangers of distracted driving, especially with young and inexperienced drivers.
“As lawyers, it is devastating to work with families who have lost loved ones due to distracted driving,” stated Steve Gursten, Attorney and Owner of Michigan Auto Law. “We started working with Bonnie Raffaele and created this scholarship to help bring awareness to the harmful effects of distracted driving.”
To be considered for the 2025 Kelsey's Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship, Michigan High School Juniors and Seniors are invited to submit compelling You Tube videos, graphics, or TikTok posts, that resonate with their peers and influence young drivers to reduce distractions while driving. Entries will be judged based on their ability to persuade others to stop texting while driving, grab the attention of friends and family, deliver a clear and understandable message, and showcase personal creativity and ingenuity. The $5,000 scholarship combined total offers various award amounts per category, including one $2,000 scholarship for the overall best submission, one $1,500 scholarship for the best video submission, one $1,000 scholarship for the best graphic submission, and one $500 scholarship for the best X submission. Each student is limited to one type of submission. The scholarship funds will be applied towards tuition at any university, college, or technical school in the United States. Applicants must be Michigan residents with a valid driver's license. Finalists will be required to provide proof of enrollment, and if under 18 years old by April 15, 2025, a parental consent form must be signed.
Driving distractions are more than just using a cell phone and/or texting, but also eating and drinking, reading, using navigations systems, and even changing radio stations. Through the support and tireless advocacy of Bonnie Raffaele, Kelsey’s mother, the Kelsey’s Law was passed in Michigan in 2013, prohibiting cell phone use by teen drivers with a Level 1 or Level 2 graduated license. Teen drivers are prohibited from initiating a call, answering a call, or listening to or engaging in verbal communications through a cell phone while they’re behind the wheel – regardless of whether the phone is hand-held or in “voice-operated” mode. Teen drivers who violate Kelsey’s Law may be ticketed by law enforcement officers. Bonnie Raffaele has been a steadfast supporter and invaluable partner of Michigan Auto Law’s through the Kelsey’s Law Distracted Driving Awareness.
Over the last several years, Michigan Auto Law has worked with Bonnie Raffaele to award the Kelsey’s Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship to students from such schools as: Bryon Center High School (Shelbyville), Forest Hills Northern High School (Grand Rapids), North Farmington High School (Farmington Hills), Wayland Union High School (Wayland), Huron High School (Ann Arbor), Caledonia High School (Caledonia), Troy Athens High School (Troy) and Eisenhower High School (Macomb), Woodhaven High School (Brownstown), Hamilton High School (Holland), and Marshall High School (Marshall). These students have gone on to continue their education at colleges and universities such as Adrian, Schoolcraft, Columbia College in Chicago, Michigan State University, and Lansing Community College, just to name a few.
For more information and to apply, please visit MichiganAutoLaw.com/Scholarships
Images/Videos: Courtesy of Michigan Auto Law
Image of Kelsey Raffaele, whom the scholarship is in memory of.
A full list of winners and their winning submissions from 2024 can be found here.
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About Michigan Auto Law
Michigan Auto Law is the leading and largest law firm in Michigan exclusively handling auto accident cases for more than 50 years. The firm has litigated thousands of motor vehicle accidents and personal injury lawsuits, securing multimillion dollar settlements and verdicts throughout the State of Michigan. Michigan Auto Law has been listed for 17 consecutive years with top reported settlements and trial verdicts in Michigan. With a 100% satisfaction guarantee, 98% of cases resulting in great settlements, attorneys that are leaders in the legal world and experts on auto crash laws, all have led to Michigan Auto Law being considered the best in the business and being named to “The Best Lawyer’s in America” for 10 years in a row. Michigan Auto Law’s mission is to help those in need, which includes giving back to the communities they serve, and helping to make Michigan a better and safer place.
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