Ten honored students were randomly selected and are now in the running for a Red Ford Focus as part of a first-year program called “Ride with Pride.”
School administrators and the Norton Shores Police Department created the program to reward students. Principal Jennifer Bustard said this was an opportunity for juniors and seniors to sign a safe driving and positive behavior pledge.
“Lieutenant John Gale came to me with the idea to reward safe drivers at the end of the school year with a car,” said Bustard at the beginning of the school year. “I realized that we could tie this in with our P.R.I.D.E. theme to create a program that would hold students accountable both in school and when they are driving while also providing an awesome prize as a reward.”
Throughout the school year, Shores’ administrative staff kept track of all disciplinary action and worked closely with Gale and the Norton Shores Police department to keep a close eye on all students; and when a student broke one of the rules, he was no longer eligible to win any of the prizes at the end of the year.
Now, five juniors and five seniors will have the opportunity on Friday, May 17, at an all-school assembly to win a car.
Ten keys will be given out to the winners, and each of them will go to the car and turn his key. If the key works, the car is his. The other nine winners will be awarded other prizes.
“I was very surprised, considering that when the names were announced, I wasn’t even in my fifth hour,” senior Brooke Ledsworth said. “I really didn’t think I had a chance of winning.”
Some of the finalists were modest and considerate, saying that if they couldn’t win, they would want somebody who didn’t have a car and couldn’t afford to have it over them.
“I would feel kind of guilty if I won,” senior Abbey Medema. “I do already have a car, and I would want someone who doesn’t have to get it over me.”
Other finalists, though, are only in it to win it.
Junior Thomas Payne does not have a car and said it would be convenient for him to win since he is off to college next year and needs to get there somehow.
“Do I think anyone else deserves this over me… no. Just me. I’m not very into sharing,” Payne said sarcastically. “I do think I deserve this car and wasn’t surprised at all when my name was called. I deserve this.”
The other finalists are senior Kylie Dennis, senior Jack Wagner, senior Tyler Dilts, junior Demarrius Stewart, junior Andrew Magnuson, junior Paige Wissner, and junior Robert Drier. – Miranda Shafer, staff writer
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