Six students nationwide awarded scholarships for their winning TV, radio, and billboard ads
NEW YORK, June 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ad Council and Project Yellow Light announced the winners of the 14th annual scholarship competition, where students have the opportunity to create public service advertisements (PSAs) aimed at educating their peers about the dangers of distracted driving, specifically cell phone usage while driving. The winning PSAs will be displayed in New York City on June 27 on a digital billboard in Times Square, with space donated by Clear Channel Outdoor.
Founded in 2007, Project Yellow Light commemorates Hunter Garner, who died in a car crash at age 16. According to the latest data, 3,275 people were killed and an estimated 324,819 were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2023. Distraction affected 8% of fatal crashes, 13% of injury crashes and 13% of all police-reported crashes that year.
This year's scholarships are sponsored by Clear Channel Outdoor and Elephant Insurance, with partnering support from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), iHeartMedia, and PIX 11.
This year, the contest received 2,728 submissions from students across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The 2025 scholarship prizes were awarded to:
They Have 9 (billboard design, college): Jaiden Mehta (Southlake, TX)
Oh Deer (billboard design, high school): Iliana Perry (Gilmer, TX)
Typewriter (radio, college): Levi Bridge (Layton, UT)
Nine Lives (radio, high school): Ben Michaels (Belmont, CA)
Gamble (video, high school): Victoria Pham (Irvine, CA)
This year's entries were judged by a variety of advertising industry executives and artists who lent their time to support this scholarship competition. The panel for this year included recording artist and songwriter Aloe Blacc; renowned filmmaker and social activist Kweku Mandela; Wendy Clark, Partner at The Consello Group; Co-Chairman and Partner of Goodby Silverstein & Partners Jeff Goodby; award-winning poet, songwriter, and author IN-Q; and representatives from The Martin Agency and additional Project Yellow Light partners.
Since 2012, the Ad Council and NHTSA have collaborated to increase awareness regarding the dangers associated with distracted driving. The support for the Project Yellow Light Scholarship competition extends these efforts as part of the broader Distracted Driving Prevention Campaign.
KEY QUOTES
"As a mother who has tragically lost a child in a car crash, I understand the devastating impact of distracted driving. We often believe it won't happen to us, but it can, and it does,” said Founder of Project Yellow Light, Julie Garner. “I am deeply grateful to our 2025 winners, all participants and our partners for their unwavering support in promoting our mission to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.”
"Project Yellow Light harnesses the creativity of our nation's young people to convey a critical, lifesaving message: Distracted driving is deadly," said NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser. "These advertisements speak directly and authentically to teen and college-aged drivers, and NHTSA applauds these creators for using their talents to help save lives."
"The creativity and dedication demonstrated by this year's scholarship winners are truly inspiring. Their impactful PSAs not only highlight the dangers of distracted driving but also showcase the power of peer-to-peer messaging in saving lives," said Michelle Hillman, Ad Council chief campaign development officer. "We are thrilled to celebrate their achievements and support their efforts in making our roads safer for everyone."
"After a decade of supporting Project Yellow Light, we continue to be inspired by these talented students who are using their creativity to steer the conversation around distracted driving and influence safer road behaviors," said Dan Levi, EVP & CMO, Clear Channel Outdoor. "Their ability to connect with their peers through messaging that truly resonates underscores the critical role young people play in combating distracted driving. We're excited to welcome the new class of Project Yellow Light winners and amplify their lifesaving messages on our digital billboards that will reach millions across the country."
"Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Project Yellow Light and Hunter Garner Scholarship! We are incredibly proud of the innovative and powerful ways these young people are spreading awareness about the dangers of distracted driving among their peers," says Alberto Schiavon, CEO of Elephant Insurance. "It has been both a privilege and an honor to support the crucial mission of Project Yellow Light for the past seven years."
"iHeart has collaborated with Project Yellow Light and the Ad Council for over a decade to amplify youth-created PSAs highlighting the importance of staying attentive while driving," said Jessica King, Senior Vice President, Communications and Community Engagement at iHeartMedia. "Project Yellow Light continues to make a real difference, empowering future media talent to create and produce content that helps save lives, and that iHeart is honored to share with our listeners."
"PIX 11 is proud to support Project Yellow Light's mission to curtail distracted driving. We congratulate the next generation of creative minds who produced such impactful content," said Alexa Farrell, PIX 11 Transit Anchor.
About The Ad Council The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change. For more than 80 years, the nonprofit organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country's most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council's communities on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and view campaign creative on YouTube.
Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) is at the forefront of driving innovation in the out-of-home advertising industry. Our dynamic advertising platform is broadening the pool of advertisers using our medium through the expansion of digital billboards and displays and the integration of data analytics and programmatic capabilities that deliver measurable campaigns that are simpler to buy. By leveraging the scale, reach and flexibility of our diverse portfolio of assets, we connect advertisers with millions of consumers every month.
Elephant Insurance Elephant Insurance is an auto insurance company that provides consumers with the tools and advice they need to buy and use auto insurance. Elephant is known for its customer focus, innovative pricing, and inclusive work culture. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Elephant is a wholly owned subsidiary of Admiral Group, plc., a FTSE 100 company and one of the U.K.'s leading insurers with a presence in eight countries and millions of customers worldwide. Elephant is rated in the excellent range on Trustpilot and is certified as a Great Place to Work®. To learn more, visit elephant.com.
iHeartMedia, Inc. iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, with 90% of Americans listening to iHeart broadcast radio in every month. iHeart's broadcast radio assets alone have a larger audience in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the size of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined, has the most recognizable live events across all genres of music, has the number one social footprint among audio players, with seven times more followers than the next audio media brand, and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.
NHTSA For more than 50 years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has served as the key federal agency charged with improving safety on our nation's roadways. As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA is working to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries by promoting the use of seat belts and child safety seats; helping states and local communities address the threat of distracted, drunk and drug-impaired drivers; regulating vehicle safety standards and investigating safety defects in motor vehicles; establishing and enforcing fuel economy standards; conducting research on driver behavior and traffic safety; and providing consumer information on issues ranging from child passenger safety to impaired driving. For more information visit www.nhtsa.gov.
PIX 11 WPIX-TV (PIX 11) was founded in 1948. It was bought by Mission Broadcasting, Inc. in 2020 and is operated by Nexstar Media Group. Long been regarded as a groundbreaking station in New York, PIX 11's successful primetime programming, award-winning news, extensive library of hit movies, first-run programs, off-network sitcom favorites, quality children's programming and public affairs shows, as well as outstanding event coverage, have contributed to the station's success. PIX 11 has earned hundreds of Emmy® Awards including multiple awards for Outstanding Morning News Program, Outstanding Newscast, and Interactivity. The station has been honored with numerous other prestigious awards for excellence in reporting, news coverage, public affairs, specials, and features.
Project Yellow Light Project Yellow Light is a scholarship competition where high school and college students create compelling PSAs persuading their peers to develop safe driving habits. This project gives students a voice and a role in preventing car crashes — one of the leading causes of death of teenagers and young adults in the U.S. Project Yellow Light was created by Julie, Lowell and Alex Garner in memory of their son/brother, Hunter, who died tragically in a car crash in 2007. Each year the winners receive the Hunter Garner Scholarship.
SOURCE The Ad Council
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