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Students encouraged to apply for Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarships
Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarships can fuel the journey to dreams fulfilled for students who lost a parent or had one permanently disabled due to a work zone incident. The ATSS Foundation offers two scholarships for the loved ones following a work zone tragedy. The Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship Program offers dependents of the workers—both children and spouses—an opportunity to continue pursuing their academic dreams beyond high school. This competitive program offers up to $10,000 for an academic year. Applicants who demonstrate a strong commitment to volunteerism may be eligible to receive an additional $1,000 in honor of Chuck Bailey, who was an esteemed member of the roadway safety industry. Applications are due by Feb. 15 for the 2023-24 academic year. Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarships can fuel the journey to dreams fulfilled for students who lost a parent or had one permanently disabled due to a work zone incident. The ATSS Foundation offers two scholarships for the loved ones following a work zone tragedy. The Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship Program offers dependents of the workers—both children and spouses—an opportunity to continue pursuing their academic dreams beyond high school. This competitive program offers up to $10,000 for an academic year. Applicants who demonstrate a strong commitment to volunteerism may be eligible to receive an additional $1,000 in honor of Chuck Bailey, who was an esteemed member of the roadway safety industry. Applications are due by Feb. 15 for the 2023-24 academic year. The Foundation also offers Experience Camp Travel Scholarships for children and youth to attend a free one-week, overnight summer camp where there is opportunity for healing alongside peers who have experienced similar losses. Experience Camps are a national network of summer camps and year-round programs for children and teens in grades 4 through 12. The Experience Camps Travel Scholarship covers all round-trip travel costs for the student and his or her guardian. “The goal is to no longer need these scholarships because we see an end to work zone worker deaths and serious injuries,” said ATSS Foundation Director Lori Diaz. “In the meantime, we rely on the generosity of individuals and organizations. “We have been blessed by the commitment of many ATSSA members and chapters to support The Foundation such as 3M—which again this year established a pledge wall that continues through the end of the 2023 Convention & Traffic Expo, the New England ATSSA Chapter—which hosted an event during the 2022 Midyear Meeting, and the Georgia ATSSA Chapter—which matched donations during Giving Tuesday and is a sponsor for this year’s Hoops Mania.” The Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship Program has awarded more than $400,000 in scholarships since its inception in 1988. Fourteen students were awarded scholarships for the 2022-23 academic year. Two of the 14 also received the Chuck Bailey Memorial Scholarship for this school year. Current Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship recipients share their stories and discuss how ATSS Foundation scholarships have helped them achieve their dreams. The ATSS Foundation is the charitable arm of ATSSA. It was formed with the core purpose to promote roadway safety through charitable giving and public awareness programs. Donations can be made at Foundation.ATSSA.com/Donate.
ATSS Foundation awards Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarships to 14 students
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. Dec. 14, 2022 –The American Traffic Safety Services Foundation awarded scholarships to 14 students for the 2022-23 academic year, with the majority of students being multi-year recipients. The Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship Program started in 2002 to provide financial assistance for post-high school education to dependents of roadway workers killed or permanently disabled in roadway work zones. The program is competitive and provides scholarships valued up to $10,000 per student each year. The program has awarded more than $400,000 since its inception. Applicants who demonstrate a strong commitment to volunteerism may be eligible for an additional $1,000 in honor of Chuck Bailey, a member of the roadway safety industry who died in 2002. FREDERICKSBURG, Va. Dec. 14, 2022 –The American Traffic Safety Services Foundation awarded scholarships to 14 students for the 2022-23 academic year, with the majority of students being multi-year recipients. The Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship Program started in 2002 to provide financial assistance for post-high school education to dependents of roadway workers killed or permanently disabled in roadway work zones. The program is competitive and provides scholarships valued up to $10,000 per student each year. The program has awarded more than $400,000 since its inception. Applicants who demonstrate a strong commitment to volunteerism may be eligible for an additional $1,000 in honor of Chuck Bailey, a member of the roadway safety industry who died in 2002. Joann Jones of Bluffton, Ind., and Sydney Parsons of Kelso, Wash., received the Chuck Bailey Memorial Scholarship. Joann, whose father was killed in a work zone incident in 2009, attends Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland where she is studying to become an astrophysicist. While pursuing her studies, she has helped at track and basketball camps for children, helped feed the homeless and works at an animal shelter. This is her second year as an academic scholarship recipient. Sydney begins college this year and plans to attend Central Washington University to become a paramedic. She was inspired to pursue that field by her father’s debilitating injury in 2016. She has been active with Red Cross blood drives and volunteering with Lil Titans Outdoors where she works with youth. She also is a battalion chief in a fire science program. “One of the great joys of serving on The ATSS Foundation Board is getting the opportunity to assist aspiring college students as they navigate a path forward,” said Board Chair Kevin Shelton. “Each of the students receiving a scholarship has worked hard at their studies despite the tragedy they experienced in their young lives. I wish them the best as they seek to grow and learn and pursue their passions.” The Foundation Board interviews and carefully considers each application to ensure it responsibly stewards the resources entrusted to it. “The scholarships are possible because of the many individuals, companies and organizations that support The Foundation throughout the year and who believe in its mission to promote roadway safety through charitable giving and public awareness programs,” said Foundation Director Lori Diaz. “It’s a privilege to be able to support these students.” This year’s group of recipients includes two sets of siblings and represents 10 states: California, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. Aaron Baker – Le Center, Minn., Winona State University James Beard – Highland, Ill., Southern Illinois University Edwardsville first-time recipient Tessa Beard – Highland, Ill., Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Daniel Hart – Ridge, N.Y., State University of New York Cortland Emily Hause – Eaton Rapids, Mich., Michigan State University Katie Hutt – Cleveland, Tenn., University of Tennessee Knoxville Joann Jones – Bluffton, Ind., Case Western Reserve University Mariela Lara – Ojai, Calif., California State University Channel Island Rylee O’Brien – Frederic, Wisc., Minnesota State University Mankato first-time recipient Sydney Parsons – Kelso, Wash., Central Washington University first-time recipient Alex Perez – Indianapolis, Ind., Indiana University first-time recipient Kaitlyn Pirelli – Chicago, Ill., Loyola University Chicago Megan Pirelli – Chicago, Ill., Chamberlain University College of Nursing Maycie Walker – Dry Ridge, Ky., University of Pikeville The ATSS Foundation is the charitable arm of ATSSA. It was formed in 1988 with the core purpose to promote roadway safety through charitable giving and public awareness programs.
Donors give ATSS Foundation record-breaking Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday donations resulted in more than $12,800 for The ATSS Foundation, the largest amount ever received by the nonprofit on this global day of philanthropy. The Georgia ATSSA Chapter GA-ATSSA got things rolling by offering $5,000 in matching funds. Then 31 individuals and businesses rose to the challenge, giving $7,851. “We are overwhelmed by the generosity shown by our supporters, including the Georgia Chapter of ATSSA by providing its $5,000 match,” said Foundation Director Lori Diaz. “Yesterday’s record-breaking total demonstrates the heart of our members who back The Foundation and its efforts to spread awareness of the importance of work zone safety and to assist families whose lives are forever changed by a work zone tragedy.” Giving Tuesday donations resulted in more than $12,800 for The ATSS Foundation, the largest amount ever received by the nonprofit on this global day of philanthropy. The Georgia ATSSA Chapter GA-ATSSA got things rolling by offering $5,000 in matching funds. Then 31 individuals and businesses rose to the challenge, giving $7,851 to bring the total to $12,851. “We are overwhelmed by the generosity shown by our supporters, including the Georgia Chapter of ATSSA by providing its $5,000 match,” said Foundation Director Lori Diaz. “Yesterday’s record-breaking total demonstrates the heart of our members who back The Foundation and its efforts to spread awareness of the importance of work zone safety and to assist families whose lives are forever changed by a work zone tragedy.” Giving Tuesday is observed the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. and is a day to “unleash the power of radical generosity around the world.” It has become a day for nonprofits to benefit from the generosity of individuals and groups. The Foundation works year-round to support families forever changed by work zone incidents. Here are some of the ways it helped in the first 11 months of 2022: 14 Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarships and two Chuck Bailey Memorial Scholarships were awarded for the 2022-23 academic year to the dependents of men and women killed or permanently disabled in work zone incidents. 10 names were added to the National Work Zone Memorial. The National Work Zone Memorial visited 13 locations, reaching more than 8,650 people. The virtual National Work Zone Memorial was displayed at 17 events, reaching more than 7,155 people. Two Marty Weed Engineering Scholarships were awarded to newer public agency engineers from the Tennessee Department of Transportation TDOT and the Utah Department of Transportation UDOT to attend the 2022 Convention & Traffic Expo. The children’s work zone educational activity book reached more than 5,000 children as a result of 65 unique downloads reaching more than 4,140 children and the purchase of 889 copies. The Work Zone Safe Teen Driver program educated nearly 2,300 teens, ages 15-19, about work zone safety. Experience Camps Travel Scholarships were offered to children grieving a parent, sibling or caregiver lost to a roadway work zone incident.