Heisman Trophy Trust Teams Up With Acceptance Insurance To Support High School Scholar-Athletes

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Heisman Trophy Trust and Acceptance Insurance, a leading provider of personal automobile insurance and other related products, today announced a new partnership between the two organizations to recognize high school student-athletes throughout the country for their academic and athletic achievements as well as their community service. As part of the partnership, Acceptance Insurance will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Heisman High School Scholarship program.

The Heisman High School Scholarship program extends the Heisman prestige to the nation's most esteemed high school seniors by celebrating and rewarding outstanding male and female scholar-athletes who understand that the most important victories happen not only on the field but also in their schools and communities.

"We were deeply impressed with the long-standing community relationships that Acceptance Insurance has built during their more than 50 years in business, making them a perfect fit for presenting sponsor," said Michael Comerford, Heisman Trust President. "We are pleased to welcome Acceptance into the Heisman family and look forward to working alongside them for years to come to recognize incredible high school scholar-athletes around the country."

The Heisman High School Scholarship program honors the nation's most accomplished, community-minded high school senior athletes. By inviting students from schools across the country to share their stories of leadership and impact, the program aims to inspire all students to harness their potential, push their limits, and use their talents not only to advance their own futures but to improve the communities and world around them. Over the past 26 years, the program has honored more than 600,000 of the nation's most esteemed high school seniors and provided over a million dollars in college scholarships to students throughout the United States.

In conjunction with this prestigious partnership, Acceptance Insurance simultaneously unveiled the Acceptance Pledge, a movement outlining and promoting a way for people to find common ground, listen and understand each other.

"We're incredibly proud to directly support exemplary high school athletes around the country with the Heisman High School Scholarship, as well as to have the ability to reach thousands of other students and families with the Acceptance Pledge," said Larry Willeford, President and COO of Acceptance Insurance. "Giving back to the communities we live and work in is part of our mission at Acceptance Insurance and this partnership allows us to have a nationwide impact. The Acceptance Pledge is an exciting part of our collaboration with the Heisman team and is the beginning of a movement we hope will inspire positive change."

"While competition can be healthy, cooperation is our real super-power. The Acceptance Pledge, coupled with the Heisman partnership, is part of Acceptance Insurance's ongoing commitment to creating and cultivating a culture of giving back," added Willeford.

The 2020 application for The Heisman High School Scholarship program presented by Acceptance Insurance is currently open. All High School students graduating as part of the class of 2021 are encouraged to apply. Applicants will have the chance to win up to a $5,000 college scholarship along with the possibility of attending and being highlighted during the ESPN televised Heisman Trophy Presentation Ceremony. Community-minded scholar-athletes can learn more and apply at https://heismanscholarship.com.

The deal between The Heisman Trust and Acceptance Insurance was brokered and negotiated by Paddle Agency, Heisman Trophy Trust's sponsorship agency of record.

About First Acceptance Corporation
Acceptance Insurance (OTCQX: FACO) is both an omnichannel insurance agency and insurance carrier operating in 17 states across 347 retail locations. Their team of 1300-plus focuses on developing long-term relationships with historically underserved customers and those who prefer more flexible payment schedules and greater risk tolerance. Local community engagement, supported by robust digital messaging on owned and earned platforms, gives each agency a local feel and the resources of an institutional carrier.

The technology that powers their claims department and the values that comprise the Acceptance culture both serve their mission: passionately helping hard-working people deal with life's uncertainty. This commitment to service is evident in their A+ (highest) rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Additional information can be found online at www.acceptance.com.

About The Heisman Trophy Trust
The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player in the United States. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The Heisman Trophy Trust ensures the continuation and integrity of this award. The Trust, furthermore, has a charitable mission to support amateur athletes and to provide greater opportunities to the youth of our country. Our goal through these charitable endeavors is for The Heisman Trophy to symbolize the fostering of a sense of community responsibility and service to our youth, especially those disadvantaged or with special needs. For more information about the Heisman High School Scholarship program, visit https://heismanscholarship.com/.

About Paddle Agency
Based in Franklin, Tenn, Paddle Agency was formed in 2018 by industry veteran Johnathan Fisher. Paddle is a new kind of sponsorship agency - a full-service agency with the traditional offerings, but one that goes beyond connecting brands with sponsors to activating those partnerships, creating relevant concepts and capturing them along the way. For more info, visit www.paddleagency.com

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/heisman-trophy-trust-teams-up-with-acceptance-insurance-to-support-high-school-scholar-athletes-301132766.html

SOURCE Acceptance Insurance