THE “EDDIE” EYYAD ALMARGI PEDESTRIAN AWARENESS SCHOLARSHIP

As personal injury lawyers,Tomkiel & Tomkiel are experienced in dealing with the direct repercussions of irresponsible driving habits. Our firm was privileged to represent the family of a young man, Eddie Almargi of Yonkers, NY, who was tragically killed when struck by a speeding car while he was crossing a roadway. Eddie was an upstanding person, hardworking, loving and close to his family and his friends. He emigrated from Jordan at age 18, became fluent in English, finished High School, worked hard at several jobs, obtained a real estate license and became a U.S. citizen just a few months before he was killed. He was in school to study construction engineering so he could become a real estate developer. He was struck down at age 24. His family was devastated.

Eddie was legally crossing a roadway with his college roommate one evening in September to get a snack at a convenience store across from the campus. A speeding car, traveling at least 64 m.p.h. in a 35 m.p.h. zone came out of a curve a few hundred feet away. Eddie was already in the middle of the road. The driver was not paying attention to the road and never saw the two young men. Eddie tried to run out of the way, but the car was going too fast, and the driver didn’t hit the brakes. Eddie had no chance.

While in the eyes of the law pedestrians have the right of way when crossing the street, they are often faced with dangerous circumstances and decisions on the road. Drivers often fail to pay attention to the roadway and speed limits and don’t realize how far a car travels in just seconds.

One way that we can increase safety on the streets is by informing people of precautionary measures drivers must keep in mind, and alert pedestrians about dangers when crossing a road. In honor of “Eddie” Eyyad Almargi, Tomkiel & Tomkiel is proud to offer The “Eddie” Eyyad Almargi Pedestrian Awareness Scholarship.

The purpose of The “Eddie” Eyyad Almargi Pedestrian Awareness Scholarship is to draw attention to an important issue that many Americans face each and every day. In offering this $1000 scholarship, our goal is to improve safety on the road involving vehicles and pedestrians crossing the street. Our hope is for people to learn to share the road responsibly. In a 750 word essay, please discuss the dangers of crossing the street, the ways drivers can anticipate and avoid hitting people in the street, and the ways in which pedestrians can increase their safety.

Scholarship Eligibility

Students must meet the following requirements in order to apply for The “Eddie” Eyyad Almargi Pedestrian Awareness Scholarship:

• Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate, undergraduate, or law program at an accredited college or university within the United States. High school seniors who are graduating before the deadline and have been accepted to/enrolled in a degree program are also eligible.
• Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

Application Requirements:

To apply for this scholarship, interested candidates should provide the following:

• A current official or unofficial academic transcript from their most recent academic institution.
• Contact information and an updated resume.
• A 750-word original essay in which they describe what dangers pedestrians face when crossing the street and what both drivers and pedestrians can do to increase safety on the roads.

Scholarship Deadline

All scholarship applications and materials must be submitted by email to info.tomkiel@gmail.com by the June 30, 2019 deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Scholarship application emails must include a subject line formatted as follows: NAME OF APPLICANT – TOMKIEL & TOMKIEL THE “EDDIE” EYYAD ALMARGI PEDESTRIAN AWARENESS SCHOLARSHIP. The applicant’s personal essay, transcripts, and resume should also be attached to the email as separate file attachments.