MILAN, Ohio – High school seniors all over Northeast Ohio are celebrating their graduation.
But Matt Kelble is walking away with more than a diploma.
Kelble, 18, won a car for his perfect attendance at EHOVE Career Center.
“Every envelope, it kept getting closer and closer to the final two and I was nervous,” he said. “First it was OK, and I kept getting closer and closer and I have a chance to win this car.”
Kelble was one of 31 students in the school who attended every day of school this year.
Each student was eligible to win a 1998 Oldsmobile, but throughout the week, that number was whittled down to 10.
Those 10 people then were randomly selected for prizes, like guitars, gaming systems, a TV and the car.
“Well, things have changed that’s for sure,” said Dale VanLerberghe, assistant principal at the career center. “Electronics have come to big play here. So many kids need transportation because of jobs and getting to events and activities. We felt so many kids don’t have a car, so that would be an incentive.”
The last person remaining, Kelble, won the prize, and isn’t quite sure what he’ll do with it first.
“I really have no idea,” he said. “I really wasn’t expecting this. This is really all a shock.”
The car was donated by Sandusky resident Doug Brown and was restored by students at the career center.
“It looks great. I mean, goo d condition,” Kelble said. “It’s a really great car for free. This is a fantastic day.”
This is Kelble’s second car, and he said most likely, he’ll sell one of them before going to the University of Cincinnati this fall. He plans to major in aerospace engineering.