I am extremely grateful to have been chosen to be a recipient of the 2021 Prepared for Life scholarship. I would like to thank the Lutzie 43 Foundation as well as the Lutzenkirchen family for giving me this amazing opportunity. It means so much to me to be able to represent the Lutzie 43 Foundation and be an ambassador for safe driving. Not only will this scholarship allow me to further my education it will also give me a chance to make a larger impact on my peers and share Philip’s legacy. 

For me where I was going to attend college was never a question. Growing up I would only ever say I was going to attend Auburn University. Coming from a family where everyone loved Auburn it was inevitable that I would be an Auburn fan too. The first time I got to visit there I fell in love with the city and community. I am so blessed to be able to attend the university in the fall of 2021. 

I was told by a friend that I should apply for the Prepared for Life scholarship. After looking into it I began to learn more about Philip and the legacy he left. I completed the 43 Key Seconds Lessons to Legacy curriculum and signed the 43 Key Second Pledge before applying for the scholarship. These things are always in the back of my mind when I am driving. His story reminds me every time I begin to drive that even the little mistakes could be devastating to me or someone else. I hope that many other people will sign the pledge and learn about Philip’s story. I also hope that it will impact them the way it did me and serve as a testimony to the importance of safe driving. 

Not only did the curriculum give me the ability to learn more about Philip and his life, but it allowed me to learn something about my life too. I realized how important cherishing my life and using my time to impact others was. I have always been involved in my community. I attend my local food bank weekly and volunteer for my church and school. Although after being introduced to the Lutzenkirchen legacy all of these things became more important to me. I used to just do it because that was what I felt like I was supposed to do, but it eventually occurred to me that what I was doing was a part of the legacy I was going to leave behind. I learned that in order for me to leave a legacy like Philip I need to do what I can to positively impact someone in everything I do. I have learned many things from Philip’s story, but most importantly I learned that a person’s legacy is the good that they leave behind and how they changed people’s lives for the better. 

Over the past few years multiple kids in my community have passed away because of distracted driving. These losses devastated the community. It became evident to me how drastically distracted driving affects families and communities. I realized how important it is that I do what I can to keep myself and others safe while driving. It became clear that even little distractions have the ability to hurt so many people’s lives. Philip’s story is a constant reminder to me of how I need to drive safely as well as promote safe driving. It also reminds me to cherish my life and use my time to impact others. I hope that I can share his story and allow other people to feel the same way I do. This scholarship truly means a lot to me because it is not only allowing me to further my education but is also giving me the chance to create a positive impact and “live like Lutz”. 

Once again I am so thankful to have this opportunity to represent the Lutzie 43 Foundation and be an ambassador for safe driving. I plan to share what I have learned from Philips’s story and the 43 Key Seconds curriculum in order to impact my community. I hope that this scholarship will give me a chance to create my own legacy in Auburn just like Philip did. I am extremely humbled to be given the opportunity to represent the Lutzie 43 Foundation and share Philip’s Legacy.