Leesville is one of two lucky high schools that is holding a new competition to encourage seniors to attend school more frequently.
Called “Drive for Perfection,” the contest awards a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze to a senior with 98% school attendance and zero unexcused absences. Any senior who meets these requirements will enter their name into a drawing, and one will win a new car at the end of the year. This means a senior can miss up to three days of school before they are ineligible to enter.
A local Chevrolet dealer sponsors this program for two area high schools. The students who are eligible for the contest on the 180th day of school will go to the “end of year event,” where all of the prizes are awarded. The event will employ a “reverse drawing,” in which names will be called out until the last student standing wins.
Other prizes awarded at the end of year event include, but are not limited to, a Wii, Mac Notebook, iPod, TomTom GPS, gift cards and more. This part of the drawing is also “reverse;” students that attend the event will write their names on index cards, and, when their name is chosen, they choose another index card that is either blank or awards a prize.
Leesville offers seniors another incentive to attend school. Exemption from exams has always been a successful motivator for seniors to miss no more than three days. This privilege on top of the opportunity to win a brand new car will most likely ensure spotless attendance from the class of 2011.
This is the hope of Scott Lyons, principal of LRHS. “I hope that with these programs, seniors will attend school more often. Plus, the underclassmen will see that the seniors are going to school, which will make them more likely to attend school too.”
Several seniors were already planning on going to school as often as possible, with or without the opportunity to win a new car. Most students are more concerned with exam exemption than a car contest. “I really don’t want to take exams,” said Jordan Olson, senior. “Winning a car is way less important to me.”
Chevy’s “Drive for Perfection” facebook page can be seen here.
