A Dallas car dealership gifted a Jeep to a high school sophomore who never missed a day of school as a way to increase attendance

• A Texas student won a Jeep for having perfect attendance.
• Faith Family Academy teamed up with a local car dealership for the competition.
• A sophomore named Johanna Castillo won the car.

A car dealership in Dallas, Texas gave away a car to a high school sophomore who never missed a day of school.

Faith Family Academy, a charter school, has been teaming up with Drive Casa for years, according to Fox 4. The CEO of the car dealership, Mark Gallas, said the competition helped spike attendance among students.

This year, five students were selected to be in the competition, and a student identified as Johanna Castillo won the car, the outlet reported. Although Castillo doesn’t have a license, she is working on obtaining one.

When Castillo found out she won the car, she was shocked. 

“When I heard the beep, I was like [gasp], and then I saw the thing in the lights turn on in the car and I was like [gasp] again,” the student told Fox 4. 

Gallas championed how the school backs its students. Insider couldn’t immediately reach the dealership for comment Saturday.

“The passion that I see here the last seven years coming from this school, and the support they give to these students, I don’t think the students realize it,” Gallas told the news station. “My message was there’s three and a half days of school left, and I told them I want them to go shake their hands and give a hug to every person that works at this school.”

The school posted Castillo’s win to Facebook.

“She is our 2023 Drive Casa Car Give Away winner and the new owner of a 2016 Jeep Patriot!” the post said. “We are so proud of all of our students for their academic dedication and how they prioritize their attendance. We hope this car makes a difference in the lives of Johanna and her family!” 

Similarly, earlier this year, Riverside School District in Ohio gifted multiple students gift cards for having perfect attendance.