Hale Law, a personal injury firm serving Florida's Gulf Coast, has named Melanie Kersten as the recipient of its 2026 Hale Helps™ Scholarship, a $1,000 award given to a graduating high school senior in Sarasota, Manatee, or Charlotte County who reflects on how one of the firm's core values appears in their own life story. The scholarship is part of the firm's wider Hale Helps™ community program, which also includes a Teacher of the Year award, an annual backpack giveaway, and a Student of the Month recognition.
Melanie plans to attend Florida State University this fall, where she intends to continue growing her nonprofit organization, Bags of Care, while expanding its impact through a student organization dedicated to community service. The scholarship funds will be paid directly to the university she attends.
To qualify for the scholarship, applicants submitted a 750- to 1,000-word essay, a resume, and a recent academic transcript. Students wrote about a personal challenge they had overcome and connected their story to one of Hale Law's stated core values. Each submission moved through a competitive review, with automated tools and manual checks used to confirm that the work was the applicant's own. Melanie was selected from a large number of applicants across the three-county region.
Melanie's application stood out for her extraordinary commitment to serving others. After watching her mother battle breast cancer, she founded Bags of Care, a nonprofit that creates and delivers care packages to cancer patients. Through grassroots fundraising, partnerships with local businesses, and community support, she has raised more than $1,000 and personally delivered 60 care packages—30 for adults and 30 for children—to patients at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. Her connection to All Children's is deeply personal, as the hospital saved her life when she was just three years old.
In addition to founding Bags of Care, Melanie has volunteered more than 500 hours through Sarasota Memorial Hospital's Teen Volunteer Program, serving patients at both the Sarasota and Venice campuses. Her long record of service reflects the compassion, resilience, and dedication the Hale Helps™ Scholarship was created to recognize.
"Our goal is to celebrate and amplify the unique journeys and stories of local students, inspiring them to pursue their dreams with vigor and optimism," said Patrick M. Hale, Founder and Co-Managing Partner at Hale Law.
Hale Law also supported Melanie's mission by helping fund supplies for her nonprofit's care packages. Co-Managing Partner Patrick Iyampillai joined Melanie in assembling care bags for local cancer patients, underscoring the firm's commitment to serving the community alongside the people making a difference.
The scholarship reflects the firm's investment in local students whose leadership and service strengthen the communities they call home. Hale Law maintains offices in eight Gulf Coast communities across Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte counties, representing people injured in car accidents, commercial truck collisions, motorcycle crashes, rideshare accidents, medical malpractice, and wrongful death cases. The firm emphasizes a client-focused approach and strong advocacy supported by clear communication throughout each case.
