For a law firm that spends its days fighting for injured clients, the decision to back students who stand up for others is a natural extension of its mission. Gibbons Legal has now put real money behind that principle, completing the first cycle of a scholarship program aimed at young advocates across the Philadelphia region.
Gibbons Legal Personal Injury and Accident Lawyers has awarded its inaugural Gibbons Legal Community Scholarship, distributing $25,000 among nine graduating high school seniors from Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. The firm has finalized the recipients, paid the awards directly to each student’s college, university, or trade school, and celebrated the winners on social media. This announcement confirms that the program is complete for 2026.
The scholarship recognizes students who have shown the courage to speak up, stand up, and fight for what is right, even when it is not easy. Applicants wrote about a time when they advocated for someone who needed a voice or a cause they believed was worth fighting for, and what that experience taught them about fairness, responsibility, and standing up for others.
Meet the 2026 recipients
– Junnar Anber Tahura, George Washington High School, enrolling at Thomas Jefferson University
– Helena Lentz, Council Rock High School North, enrolling at the University of Vermont
– Aydan J. Owens, Parkway Center City Middle College, enrolling at the Community College of Philadelphia
– Grace John, Central High School, enrolling at Washington & Jefferson College
– Jasmin Coles, New Foundations Charter High School, enrolling at North Carolina A&T State University
– Ella Peticca, a Pennsylvania high school graduate, enrolling at Penn State University
– Brett Westerfer, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, enrolling at La Salle University
– Two additional recipients (not named for privacy reasons)
About the Gibbons Legal Community Scholarship
The Gibbons Legal Community Scholarship awards $25,000 each year to nine high school seniors across the Philadelphia region, with four students receiving $5,000 and five students receiving $1,000. The firm pays each award directly to the recipient’s chosen accredited college, university, or trade school. Eligible applicants are graduating seniors who live in Philadelphia or in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, or Montgomery counties, who have confirmed their enrollment and submitted a short essay on advocacy and standing up for what is right.
“Everyone deserves someone in their corner, and these nine students have already shown they are willing to be that person for others,” said a representative of Gibbons Legal. “We are proud to invest in young people who speak up, stand up, and fight for what is right, and we cannot wait to see what they accomplish.”
Applications reopen in 2027
Gibbons Legal will offer the Community Scholarship again in 2027 with the same $25,000 pool and the same nine awards, four at $5,000 and five at $1,000. Graduating seniors in the Philadelphia region can find eligibility details, the essay prompt, and application guidelines at https://gibbonslegal.com/community-scholarship/.
About Gibbons Legal
Gibbons Legal Personal Injury and Accident Lawyers represents injured people and their families throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding Pennsylvania counties. The firm is based at One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, in Philadelphia. Learn more at https://gibbonslegal.com/.
Tom Gibbons
Gibbons Legal Personal Injury and Accident Lawyers
+1 215-274-0173
Why it matters: By funding students who demonstrate a willingness to advocate for others, Gibbons Legal is investing in the next generation of community leaders — a move that reinforces the firm’s own courtroom identity while offering tangible support to local students at a critical financial moment. The scholarship’s continuation into 2027 signals a sustained commitment, not a one-off gesture, to the Philadelphia region.
