Jacob Quesenberry stayed at Palma High School’s sober grad party all night and won a car for his efforts.

The 18-year-old Quesenberry was one of 10 new graduates representing 10 high schools from King City High to North Monterey County High in Castroville who came to Salinas Toyota-Scion in the Salinas Auto Mall on Sunday afternoon with a chance to win.

To qualify, each student had to stay to the end of their school’s graduation party - usually around 5 a.m. - thereby winning a shot at winning the car.

Sue Jamiesson, owner of the dealership, has given a car to one graduating senior every year since 2000.

“I wanted to help the sober graduation committees,” she said. “They put in so much work, so I wanted to offer something that would give kids incentive to stay the whole night.”

Students enter their names in a raffle upon arriving at the party, and a name is pulled for the chance at a car in the party’s last hour at each school.

“If anyone left the sober grad party, they had no chance of winning,” Jamiesson said.

At the dealership, each graduate received a bag with a car key, only one of which would start the brand-new 2008 Scion XB offered as a prize.

One by one, they attempted to turn the key in the ignition. Quesenberry was the fourth graduate to attempt to start the white car with a retail price of $16,814.

“I already have a car, and I don’t know how to drive a standard (transmission), but I’m still really happy,” he said.

Quesenberry, who will attend California State University, Stanislaus, in the fall to study music performance and education, said he had butterflies in his stomach as he turned they key in the ignition. He called his parents immediately after determining he had the lucky key, but they would not believe him until a Salinas Toyota-Scion staff member took the phone and told them it was no joke.

While only one student walked out with a new car, no one left without reward. Jamiesson presented the other nine students with $300 scholarships to help with college books and tuition.

Source

Related posts:

1. Scotts Valley High student wins a car A Scotts Valley High School student was delighted to find...
2. Scion Targeting High Schools with Marketing Competition Scion is a car brand that markets mostly to youth....
3. Local Students Use Scion tC in Auto-Repair Competition Mason Doherty and Brent Winkelman spent part of an afternoon...
4. 2-Hour Charge Gets 150 Miles In Electric Scion xB Imagine driving 150 miles without ever using a drop of...
5. UVA Robotic xB Featured on Discovery Science Channel A motorized creation of the University of Virginia’s engineering school...