J. Alexander Law Firm Scholarship
Make your road safer. Win $1,000 for school.
The J. Alexander Law Firm Scholarship awards $1,000 to one student in the United States each year.
To enter, create a short video or write an essay about one road, crosswalk, intersection, or school pickup area in your community. Explain what makes it unsafe and share one specific change that could make it safer.
- Video entry
- 60 to 90 seconds
- Essay entry
- 500 words
- Cost to enter
- Free
- Entries open
- October 5, 2026
- Deadline
- June 30, 2027
- Winner announced
- By July 15, 2027
Your assignment: one road you know
Choose a real place you know well. It might be:
- The crosswalk outside your school
- A busy school drop-off or pickup line
- A road your family drives every day
- A dangerous merge, blind curve, intersection, or road with no shoulder
- A corner people in your neighborhood warn each other about
Tell us:
- Where is it?
- Who uses it? For example, students, pedestrians, cyclists, buses, parents, or commuters.
- What makes it dangerous?
- What change would make it safer?
- How do you know there is a problem?
Many serious crashes happen close to home, on roads people use every day. We want to hear from students who notice safety problems before someone gets hurt.
Support your point
The strongest entries explain why the road needs attention. You do not need to conduct formal research, but you should use real observations, conversations, or public information.
You can support your entry by:
- Counting unsafe behaviors over several days, such as drivers running red lights, failing to stop, speeding, or people crossing outside a crosswalk
- Talking with people who use the area regularly, such as crossing guards, bus drivers, neighbors, store owners, parents, or students
- Reviewing public crash data, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System
- Using our Texas dangerous intersections tool to review crash-heavy intersections by city
- Reading a local crash report with help from our Texas crash report decoder
Safety comes first: Observe and film from the sidewalk or another safe location. Never record while driving. Never walk into a roadway to get a better shot.
Choose your entry format
Both entry formats answer the same question and compete for the same $1,000 award. You may submit one entry per scholarship cycle.
-
Option
Video
- What to submit
- A 60 to 90 second video
- What to include
- The problem, the location, your evidence, one solution, and a call to action
- How it is judged
- Content, creativity, and clarity
-
Option
Essay
- What to submit
- A 500-word essay in PDF format
- What to include
- The problem, the location, your evidence, and one specific solution
- How it is judged
- Content, creativity, and grammar
Video entry guide
A phone camera is enough. You do not need expensive equipment, editing software, or a production crew. A clear message and a specific solution matter more than polished video effects.
A simple 60-second outline
- Show the problem0:00–0:05
Start with the danger right away. For example, show a driver rolling through a stop sign or a student waiting at a crosswalk where cars do not stop.
- Explain the location0:05–0:25
Show the road or intersection from a safe place. Name the street and explain who uses it and when the problem is most serious.
- Offer one solution0:25–0:50
Suggest one clear improvement. Examples include a painted crosswalk, a longer pedestrian signal, a stop sign, better lighting, a pickup-line rule, or a protected bike lane.
- Make your ask0:50–1:00
End by telling viewers what you want them to do. Your message might ask drivers to slow down, students to use the crosswalk, or city leaders to make a specific improvement.
If your video is 90 seconds long, use the extra time to show more evidence or explain your proposed solution.
Video requirements
- Your video must be 60 to 90 seconds long
- Upload it to YouTube, Vimeo, or Google Drive
- If using YouTube or Vimeo, set the video to unlisted
- If using Google Drive, set the file so anyone with the link can view it
- Paste the video link into the scholarship application
- Use only music you have permission to use, or do not use music
- Get permission from anyone who appears on camera
- If a person on camera is under 18, get permission from their parent or guardian
- Add captions if possible, since many people watch videos without sound
- Choose horizontal or vertical video and use the same orientation throughout
What the committee looks for
The scholarship committee will consider:
- Whether the safety problem is clear quickly
- Whether the entry focuses on a real place you know
- Whether you explain why the location is unsafe
- Whether your proposed solution is specific and realistic
- Whether you support your point with observations, interviews, or data
- Whether your entry could encourage safer driving, walking, cycling, or school drop-off behavior
Essay entry guide
If you prefer writing, submit a 500-word essay as a PDF.
Your essay should explain:
- The road, crosswalk, intersection, or pickup area you selected
- What makes the location unsafe
- Who may be affected by the danger
- What you observed, learned from others, or found through public information
- One specific change that could make the area safer
Upload your essay as a PDF through the application form. Essays are judged on content, creativity, and grammar.
Eligibility and materials
You may apply if you meet all of the following requirements:
- You are enrolled in, or plan to attend, a college, university, trade school, or graduate program in the United States
- You can provide proof of enrollment or planned enrollment, such as a transcript or acceptance letter
- Your video or essay is entirely your own original work
- If you are under 18, you provide parent or guardian contact information
- You are not an employee of J. Alexander Law Firm or an immediate family member of an employee
There is no minimum GPA and no application fee.
What to submit
Complete the online form and include:
- Your first and last name
- Your email address and phone number
- The school you attend or plan to attend
- Your current or planned course of study
- Your video link or 500-word essay PDF
- Your resume
- Your transcript, acceptance letter, or other proof of enrollment
Only entries submitted through the scholarship form will be considered.
Important dates
| Date | Scholarship event |
|---|---|
| October 5, 2026 | Entries open |
| June 30, 2027 | Entry deadline |
| By July 15, 2027 | Winner announced |
| After winner verification | Award paid directly to the school or applied to verified education expenses |
The scholarship award is paid directly to the winner’s school or reimbursed for verified education expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, or housing. Funds used for expenses other than tuition and required fees may be taxable, so students should consult a tax professional if they have questions.
People’s Pick recognition
Some finalists may be invited to share their work publicly.
- Finalist videos may be posted on our blog for a public People’s Pick vote
- Essay finalists may choose to share an excerpt
- Participation is optional and requires the finalist’s permission
- The public vote does not determine the scholarship winner
- The scholarship committee alone selects the $1,000 recipient
The People’s Pick is an opportunity for additional recognition on our website and social media channels.
Official rules
- One application is allowed per person per scholarship cycle
- Videos must be original and 60 to 90 seconds long
- Essays must be original, 500 words, and submitted as PDFs
- Videos are judged on content, creativity, and clarity
- Essays are judged on content, creativity, and grammar
- Scholarship committee decisions are final
- Do not film while driving or enter a roadway to record video
- Obtain permission from everyone who appears in your video
- Obtain parent or guardian permission for anyone under 18 who appears in your video
- Use only music, photos, video clips, and other content that you have the right to use
- The winner must verify current enrollment before funds are released
Application materials will be used only to administer this scholarship and will be handled under our Privacy Policy.
Questions? Email info@severeinjurylawyers.com. Please do not call the firm’s intake line, which is reserved for people seeking legal help after an injury.
The J. Alexander Law Firm Scholarship is administered by J. Alexander Law Firm, 12801 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1100, Dallas, TX 75243.
About this scholarship
At J. Alexander Law Firm, we see the consequences of serious crashes every day. This scholarship is a chance to focus on prevention by listening to students who know their communities best.
School can be expensive, and $1,000 may not cover every cost. But it can help pay for books, housing, tuition, fees, or another important education expense. We look forward to seeing the roads you know, the problems you notice, and the practical changes you believe could make your community safer.
—Josh Alexander, Founder and Managing Attorney, Marine Corps Veteran, and Texas Trial Lawyer
Ready to apply?
Choose one entry format:
- Video: Submit a 60 to 90 second video link
- Essay: Upload a 500-word essay as a PDF
Add your resume and proof of enrollment, then submit your entry through the form below.