Joe Bornstein launches 23rd Arrive Alive contest for Maine seniors

The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein has opened its 23rd annual Arrive Alive Creative Contest for graduating Maine high school seniors, with entries due May 7, 2027. The statewide program rewards student-made safe-driving messages and has awarded more than $200,000 since 2005.

Why it matters: - The contest pushes drunk-driving and distracted-driving prevention directly to Maine teens, the group the firm wants to reach before crashes happen. - The program also turns student creativity into public safety messaging, with winning work displayed across the state. - More than $200,000 in prizes has been awarded since the contest began in 2005.

What happened: - The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein launched the 23rd Annual Arrive Alive Creative Contest on Sept. 4, 2026. - The contest is open to graduating high school seniors across Maine’s 16 counties. - Students can submit an original project in any medium that warns peers about the dangers of drunk driving and distracted driving. - Entries are due Friday, May 7, 2027.

The details: - Past entries have included essays, poems, paintings, videos, original songs, public service announcements, T-shirt designs, board games and drawings. - First-place winners will receive a new laptop computer. - Second- and third-place winners will each receive a new iPad. - All graduating seniors who enter will receive additional prizes from the firm. - Students can upload entries at the contest website, mail projects to the firm’s Portland office, or drop them off at one of seven Maine offices in Sanford, Biddeford, Portland, Windham, Lewiston, Augusta or Bangor. - Online submissions can be up to 18MB. - Larger files can be sent by CD or thumb drive, or through file sharing arranged with the firm. - The online entry form is built into the submission process. - Essays must be 1,000 words or fewer. - Videos and songs must be five minutes or shorter. - Artwork must be easy to transport. - Questions can be sent to arrivealive@joebornstein.com or 207-CALL-JOE (207-225-5563). - Entering gives the firm permission to use the student’s name, likeness and submitted materials in advertising and promotion, with exceptions in the official rules. - Last year’s top 20 winners were honored in July at Elks Lodge #188 in Portland. - Winning projects in the 22nd contest came from seniors at high schools including Falmouth, Freeport, Gorham, Gray-New Gloucester, Lewiston, Oak Hill, Scarborough, Spruce Mountain, Telstar, Westbrook and Yarmouth. - Last year’s winners included paintings, drawings, essays, poems, short videos and an original apparel design.

Between the lines: - The contest gives the firm a recurring community-facing platform tied to its personal-injury work. - The traveling exhibit of more than 75 framed winning paintings and drawings helps keep the message visible year-round in schools, libraries, malls and other venues. - The firm said the contest is meant to keep the safe-driving message in front of teenagers in a way that sticks.

What's next: - Maine seniors can begin preparing entries now and submit them before the May 7, 2027 deadline. - Winning work from this year will likely join the contest’s traveling exhibit and future public displays. - The firm expects to continue the program as an annual safe-driving campaign for Maine students.

The bottom line: - Joe Bornstein is again using student creativity to promote safer driving, with cash-equivalent prizes, broad statewide participation and a long track record behind the program.