Project Yellow Light names 2026 student PSA winners

Elephant Insurance-backed Project Yellow Light has announced its 15th annual scholarship winners, with student anti-distracted-driving PSAs set to appear on a Times Square digital billboard June 26. The contest drew nearly 3,000 submissions from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., underscoring broad student participation in a campaign aimed at safer driving.

Why it matters: - Project Yellow Light is using student-created public service ads to push a simple message: distracted driving can be deadly. - The 2026 winning work will reach a national audience on a Times Square digital billboard, giving student safety messages a high-profile platform. - The contest also awards scholarships, linking road-safety advocacy with financial support for students.

What happened: - Project Yellow Light announced the winners of its 15th annual competition on June 26, 2026. - Elephant Insurance sponsors the contest alongside The Ad Council and other partners. - The winning creative will be displayed on a digital billboard in New York City’s Times Square on Friday, June 26, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST, courtesy of Clear Channel Outdoor.

The details: - The 2026 scholarship winners are Hannah Williams for college billboard design, Lilwen Fout for high school billboard design, Christopher Santos for college radio creative, Benji Johnston for high school radio creative, Hayden Yates for college video creative and Jana Kalumbula for high school video creative. - The competition drew nearly 3,000 submissions from students in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. - Winners were selected by a panel of judges from the advertising and entertainment industries. - Project Yellow Light was founded in 2007 by the family of Hunter Garner, who died at age 16 in a car accident. - Scholarships this year are funded through support from Clear Channel Outdoor and Elephant Insurance. - Elephant Insurance said this is its eighth year as a sponsor and that the company also takes part in the judging process. - Elephant Insurance CEO Alberto Schiavon praised the winners and said the initiative helps young drivers think about their choices every time they get behind the wheel. - More information is available at Project Yellow Light.

Between the lines: - The broad submission pool suggests the message continues to resonate with students across grade levels and states. - The Times Square placement gives the campaign a visibility boost that can amplify the contest’s safety message far beyond the student participants. - Elephant Insurance is pairing brand sponsorship with a public-facing safety campaign, which reinforces its positioning around driver awareness and education.

What's next: - The winning PSAs will be showcased in Times Square on June 26. - Visitors can view the winning entries and learn more about Project Yellow Light and the Hunter Garner Scholarship online. - Elephant Insurance is likely to continue using the partnership to support distracted-driving awareness and scholarship funding.