Text Free For Tita Bi-Annual Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Patterson Law Group

Quick fact to start: in Texas, about 1 in 5 traffic crashes involves a distracted driver. In 2017 there were 449 fatal crashes tied to distracted driving in our state. Those numbers aren’t just data points — they represent lives lost and families changed forever. That’s why this matters to all of us.

Why this scholarship exists
On April 9, 2016, a preventable act of distracted driving took four lives, including 12-year-old Emma “Tita” Lourdes Shaffer and her mother, Emma Shaffer. The driver of the other vehicle was texting; the message sent that day read, “I’ll see you at the skate park.” Tita was a sixth grader at Liberty Christian, an avid cheerleader at Champion Cheer, and someone who volunteered and stood up for others. Her friend Janae Cook and Janae’s mother Heather turned their grief into action, launching the Text Free For Tita campaign to raise awareness about distracted driving.

Patterson Law Group, together with Heather and Janae Cook, created the Text Free For Tita Scholarship to honor Tita and to encourage students to develop creative, practical ways to reduce distracted driving. The scholarship is offered twice a year (spring and fall); each winner receives $1,000 to be applied toward university or law school tuition and related educational costs.

A teacher’s note about prevention
Distracted driving is preventable. Education, awareness, and enforcement all help. As students and community members, you have the ability to influence habits and norms — through clear messages, persuasive media, and thoughtful campaigns. No text is worth a life. It can wait.

What the scholarship asks for
We’re looking for student-created projects that propose realistic, creative ways to reduce distracted-driving crashes in Texas. Submissions can be any of the following:
- Video or other multimedia
- Written piece (essay or poem)
- Photo or graphic (examples: a mock viral social media post, a billboard mock-up)

How to enter (step-by-step)
1. Create your piece.
2. Post it publicly on Facebook or Instagram with both hashtags #TextFreeForTita and #scholarship, and tag @pattersonlawgroup.
3. Email the completed application form to scholarship@pattersonpersonalinjury.com by:
- May 31 for the Spring-semester award
- December 15 for the Fall-semester award

Rules and important restrictions
- Posts must be public and include the hashtags #TextFreeForTita and #scholarship, and tag @pattersonlawgroup.
- Multiple entries are allowed.
- Do NOT post or submit photos that depict gruesome or identifiable crash scenes.
- Do NOT include branding of automakers in photos.
- Do NOT submit photos taken inside vehicles (whether the vehicle is moving or stopped).
- By entering, you grant Patterson Law Group permission to use your submission, your name, your school’s name, and any submitted photos on the firm’s website and in marketing materials.

Award details
- The scholarship award is $1,000 and must be used for university or law school tuition and related educational expenses.
- The check will be issued directly to the recipient’s school to cover those expenses.
- Winners will be notified within 30 days after the submission deadline.

A final practical reminder
Patterson Law Group encourages safe behavior while creating submissions and disclaims responsibility for any injury. Common sense applies: don’t film while driving, don’t stage dangerous scenes, and don’t put anyone at risk. Be smart.

If you have questions about the application process, email scholarship@pattersonpersonalinjury.com.

Students: this is a chance to use your creativity to save lives. Think clearly, speak honestly, and design something that could actually change a behavior or a policy in your school or community.