When Emmalee Fuentes heard her ticket number called as the winner of a 2024 Chevy Trax LX at last year’s Gillman Drive for Perfect Attendance event, she was in disbelief.
Through a partnership between HCISD and Gillman, students who maintain perfect attendance throughout the school year are entered into a drawing for a chance to win a car.
Fuentes, now a senior at Harlingen Collegiate High, remembers the moment vividly.
“I didn’t think they called the right number,” she recalled. “When I saw that my number matched, I said, ‘Oh wow, that is my number. That’s me.’ It was so surreal.”
Although she had put off learning how to drive due to fear, winning the car changed everything.
“I was dreading learning how to drive,” she admitted. “So, it was kind of funny that I won. But it was such a big motivation to actually want to learn.”
At first, Fuentes wasn’t planning to attend the event where the winner was announced. But her decision to attend the 2024 Gillman Drive for Perfect Attendance turned into an unforgettable moment.
“My parents were super happy. My mom cried,” she said. “I also had a lot of people congratulating me and saying how cool it was that I won, especially because I was one of the first people from my school to win.”
Beyond the excitement, Fuentes believes perfect attendance is about more than just showing up.
“Perfect attendance shows responsibility and maturity,” she said. “It also leads to lifelong good habits. For me, I just didn’t want to miss out on anything like important announcements or assignments. That’s what kept me coming to school every day.”
As another school year nears its end, students once again have the opportunity to secure their spot in the drawing by keeping up with their attendance.
“If someone told me, ‘You’re going to win a car if you come to school every day,’ I would 100% come every single day,” she said.
