“It is a nice reward for the kids. We talk about trying to get kids to practice safe driving and not be distracted and here is a chance for someone to get a nice reward for doing that,” said Shelby High School Principal John Gies.
Mansfield Motor Group and Richland Source joined forces to offer a new Nissan Versa Sedan or a $10,000 scholarship to a high school senior in Richland County through the Mansfield Motor Group Student Citizenship Award. This program offers a reward to students who are academically successful and display healthy life choices.
Guidance Counselor Chris Zuercher described how students have reacted to the program.
“This is something that is brand new for all of us and it will be interesting to see how everything works out. The kids were all really excited about the potential for a $10,000 scholarship or the purchase of a new car,” said Zuercher.
Gies revealed that they spoke with all of the students who had a 3.0 GPA or better and then proceeded to fill out applications for the program. “We have about 42 kids that have signed up. We will take the applications and we will pull a finalist and an alternate in random form. The kids that I have spoken with about the program are very excited about the chance to win scholarship money,” said Gies.
Zuercher explained how the program will impact juniors as much as seniors. “The juniors will be able to do this and I think this will have as much of an impact on them as it does for the seniors. It lets them know that this possibility is open to them for next year and gives them something to work towards,” said Zuercher.
Lukas Ousley is a senior at Shelby High School who decided to participate in the program. Ousley shared that while he is driving he does not touch his phone. “Nothing is that important to risk my life or other people’s lives to answer a text message,” said Ousley.
Ousley said that if he were to win the program, he would probably choose the car over the scholarship. Ousley plans on attending Otterbein University and majoring in pre-dentistry.
Senior Madison Wagner has been thinking about driving laws and the consequences through this program.
“It definitely has made me think about the driving laws and how much you really put at risk when you break the laws that are there for your safety,” said Wagner. Wagner revealed that if she were to win, she would choose the money for a scholarship. “It would be a weight off my shoulders about paying for college,” said Wagner.
Wagner plans on attending Kent State University and major in nursing. Once she is completed with nursing, she wants to receive her Master’s Degree for pediatric nurse practitioner.
Senior Katie McKinney has gotten more informed with preventing texting and driving through this program. “It has helped me get more informed about the consequences and it has helped others become aware of what can happen when texting and driving,” said McKinney.
McKinney said that if she were to win she would choose the scholarship money. “It would help me with paying and it would help out my family, too,” said McKinney.
McKinney plans on attending Capital University and majoring in pre-med/biology.
The kids were all really excited about the potential for a $10,000 scholarship or the purchase of a new car,” said Guidance Counselor Chris Zuercher.
