COURAGEOUS PERSUADERS TO BRING NATIONAL ATTENTION TO PROMOTE SAFE DRIVING.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS AMERICA ARE NOW ELIGIBLE TO WIN A VARIETY OF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MAKING TV COMMERCIALS TO COMBAT DISTRACTED DRIVING.
TROY, Mich., Dec. 1, 2022 – The Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA) Education Foundation is
happy to announce they will be bringing back the nationwide Courageous Persuaders Scholarship for
the 2022-2023 school year. Submissions will open mid-December 2022 and the deadline is March 10th, 2023.
An Award Ceremony to announce winning videos will be held at Emagine Theaters in Royal Oak, Michigan
on May 10th, 2023.
Courageous Persuaders is a competition-based scholarship program that invites high school students to
create a 30-second television commercial about the dangers of distracted driving with two categories:
drunk driving and distracted driving. The commercials are targeted toward middle school-aged
children, with the winning entries aired on television and via streaming video on
courageouspersuaders.com. The Michigan Department of State, led by Secretary of State Jocelyn
Benson, will also show the winning commercial in select Michigan Secretary of State (SOS) branch offices
as well as SOS sponsored driver’s training courses.
Winners are selected after several rounds of judging. During the first round, a panel from the DADA
views the entries and identifies the top 60 contenders. Those entries are then reviewed by students at
Michigan middle schools who complete questionnaires to determine the most persuasive entries.
Results of the questionnaires determined the winners. To view past winning commercials and/or enter
the 2022/23 competition, visit the website at courageouspersuaders.com. For more information please
contact Sophia Lorenzetti at slorenzetti@dada.org.
The Courageous Persuaders program was created in 2000 by former Oakland County District Judge
Michael A. Martone and John Barczyk, a local McCann-Erickson advertising executive (retired). In 2007,
the DADA became the primary sponsor and administrator of the Courageous Persuaders program
through its DADA Education Foundation. After 15 years, DADA Education Foundation has awarded
almost $300,000 in scholarships to students across 48 states.
Winning entries are eligible for the following scholarship awards across two categories:
Video of the Year: $2500 (National)
Dangers of Drinking and Driving:
- Grand Prize: $2,000 (National)
- First Place: $1,500 (MI Only)
- Second Place: $750 (MI Only)
- Third Place: $500 (MI Only)
Lindsey Renee Cianciolo Family Memorial Scholarship: $3,000 – two @ $1,500/ea. (MI Only)
Dangers of Distracted Driving:
- Grand Prize: $2,000 (National)
- First Place: $1,500 (MI Only)
- Second Place: $750 (MI Only)
- Third Place: $500 (MI Only)
Additionally, special awards are also presented by Courageous Persuaders partners:
- College for Creative Studies Award: $325 Certificate for Summer Program – based on the creativity of the commercial (MI Only)
- Courageous Leader Award: $500 Visa Gift Card – presented to a special teacher for his or her extraordinary support of the Courageous Persuaders program (National)
- Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety, Inc. (ACTS): $1,500 (National)
- Delta Goes to Hollywood Award: 2 flight vouchers to be used at Delta Air Lines – Top 60 videos will be entered in a raffle for a chance to win (National)
With more scholarships to be announced at a later date!
About the DADA Education Foundation
The mission of the DADA Education Foundation is to promote excellence in education through quality
programs and leadership. In addition to the Courageous Persuaders program, the Foundation also
administers Education Day at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) and the NAIAS
Poster Contest.
About Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA)
The DADA was founded in 1907 by 17 local car dealers, and has grown to more than 220-member car
and truck dealers who donate their time and resources to a host of community activities. Currently, the
DADA members collectively employ more than 16,000 people. Many members participate in the NAIAS,
LLC, which is responsible for the production of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).
The most significant charitable venture of DADA is the annual NAIAS Charity Preview, which has raised
more than $100 million for children’s charities in southeastern Michigan over the past 25 years alone. To find out more,
visit www.dada.org and www.naias.com