Last chance: Queens and Long Island students can win $1,000 in pedestrian safety video contest

High school juniors and seniors in Queens and Long Island have the chance to win $1,000 for creating a short video that raises awareness about traffic and pedestrian safety while also highlighting state laws designed to keep people safe on the streets.

The 2025 Lowell Wolf Memorial Scholarship Pedestrian Safety Video Contest, hosted by Walk Safe Long Island in partnership with the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety (NYCTS), invites students to create a video (between 30 seconds and three minutes) that illustrates one or more New York State pedestrian safety laws and answers the central question: “Why is it important to educate your community about pedestrian and traffic safety?”

Two winners will each receive a $1,000 scholarship check, which they can use however they choose.

“With rising costs of everything, we really want students to know about this opportunity,” said Cristina Furlong, project director for the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety. “The scholarship is a flexible award that students can use in any way, and it’s a great way to get young people engaged in promoting safety in their communities.”

Furlong noted that the contest has seen a low number of submissions so far, and hopes more eligible students will take advantage of the opportunity during the final days before the May 31 deadline.

The NYCTS, funded by a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, runs law-based education and outreach campaigns with the goal of reducing traffic injuries and fatalities across the state. This scholarship program is one way the organization is encouraging youth to take part in this mission through creative advocacy and community education.

Eligible topics include pedestrian laws, bike safety and micromobility regulations. Submissions will be judged on clarity, creativity, understanding of traffic safety laws and their ability to effectively communicate why traffic safety matters.