Virginia Focused Driver Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers

Overview
Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers is offering a scholarship to raise awareness about distracted driving and to encourage young people to think critically about how to stay focused behind the wheel. Distracted driving is a leading cause of accidents for teens and young adults. We will award three students a $2,000 scholarship each to help with college expenses.

Who can apply
- Students living in the following Virginia cities and counties:
Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Hampton, Isle of Wight, York County, Poquoson, Northampton County, Accomack County, James City, Surry County, and Williamsburg.
- Students must be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to focused driving and explain why it matters and how to avoid distractions.

What to submit
- A 500–750 word essay about the dangers of distracted driving and your ideas for addressing the problem. Explain how you and others can stay focused when driving.
- Optional creative materials (images, infographics, posters, artwork, or video). High-quality, original presentations will earn extra consideration. If you include audio or video, please limit it to 2 minutes.
- A confirmed acceptance letter to an institute of higher education (this is required).

How to submit
- Email your essay and any optional materials to: scholarships@cooperhurley.com
- Attach your personal essay and your acceptance letter as separate files.
- When you email your application, put your first and last name and the scholarship name in the subject line using this exact format:
NAME OF APPLICANT – 2023 COOPER HURLEY INJURY LAWYERS FOCUSED DRIVER SCHOLARSHIP
Example: John Smith – 2023 COOPER HURLEY INJURY LAWYERS FOCUSED DRIVER SCHOLARSHIP

A few practical tips (from a teacher)
- Keep the essay focused and clear: make a main point, support it with evidence or personal insight, and end with concrete steps people can take.
- If you submit multimedia, label files clearly (e.g., Smith_Essay.pdf, Smith_Acceptance.pdf, Smith_Poster.jpg).
- Be original and specific—show how you would make a difference in your school or community.

Good luck. We look forward to reading thoughtful, creative responses that show you understand the real risks of distracted driving and have ideas to keep yourself and others safer.