57 recent high school graduates gathered in Reno on Saturday, hoping to overcome the odds and drive away in a free car.
Among them was 17-year-old Jaxon Carpenter.
“I came into it, it’s just like, oh, it was just a roll of the dice, probably not going to win,” said Carpenter.
But then, the impossible happened.
“This is crazy. My legs are shaking, actually,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter, and the other 56 students who entered the drawing from Bill Pearce Honda, all had one thing in common: they achieved perfect attendance during their senior year of high school.
The local dealership started the free car initiative 17 years ago, as current owner Lydia Meyer said it’s all part of an effort to improve Washoe County School District graduation rates.
“We would really love to see people show up every day for school. It’s not easy. People have been struggling with it forever.”
Carpenter said he used to share a car with his brothers, and now he’ll have his very own 2025 Honda Civic to use as a daily driver for his new gig.
“I applied for Dave and Buster’s as a busser, and then I went in, they offered me a job as a game tech when I turned 18…. It’s just great all around,” said Carpenter.
The Reno native was over the moon to win the raffle, but how will he trick it out first?
“Fuzzy dice on the mirror,” said Carpenter.
