In a ballroom at the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls, about 200 Tallmadge High School graduating seniors anxiously waited Tuesday for the announcement they’d been looking forward to all year: Who was the winner of the 2015 Ford Fiesta parked outside?
Principal Mike Householder called for a drumroll as four raffle tickets were drawn from a sea of nearly 2,000. Students banged on the tables like makeshift drums as he announced three seniors who won gift bags. He then called out senior Rachel McNulty as the grand-prize winner and new car owner.
“I’m really excited because I’ve never had my own car before,” said Rachel, who will attend Ohio State University in the fall. She said that she has always shared a car with her sister.
Tallmadge High School holds the senior breakfast every year, commemorating students’ accomplishments and awarding four scholarships given in memory of area people. For the past several years, Park Ford car dealership of Tallmadge has donated a new car to the school to add to the awards.
“We just thought it was a good thing to do for Tallmadge, and it’s a nice gesture for the seniors,” said dealership owner Mike Iemma, who started the car giveaway seven years ago.
In addition to donating cars, Iemma hosts Drive 4 UR School twice a year, which attracts customers to the dealership while raising more than $12,000 for the Tallmadge school each year. For each event, the dealership donates $20 for every car (up to 300 cars) that is test driven.
Householder said he uses every penny of that for the seniors.
“Not too many people step up to the plate like that, and I can’t thank them enough,” Householder said of Park Ford. “I make sure every bit of that money has been utilized.”
All senior students become eligible for the car drawing at the beginning of the year. They begin with one ticket and accumulate more by getting good grades, demonstrating good behavior, having good attendance, volunteering or doing something else noteworthy.
Rachel, who will be able to pick up her car from the dealership as soon as Wednesday, also received the President’s Award for Academic Excellence, the Lynda Morgart Athletic Award and the Josh Miktarian Memorial Scholarship, named in honor of a Twinsburg police officer who was killed on duty in 2008.
Miktarian’s 8-year-old daughter, Thea, stood on a step stool to present the $3,500 scholarship, which is awarded to one senior at Twinsburg and one at Tallmadge high schools each year.
The breakfast highlighted many more of the seniors’ achievements, awarding more than $12,000 in memorial scholarships. Students were also recognized for academic, athletic and musical accomplishments.
“I’m just blown away by this senior class. They’re amazing,” said Tallmadge history teacher Lisa Wilson.
Theresa Cottom can be reached at 330-996-3216 or tcottom@thebeaconjournal.com.