Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
MONTCLAIR, CA— One day shy of her 18th birthday, Gabriela Jimenez-Ramirez received a gift she will never forget – a new car courtesy of three local auto dealers.
Gabriela was among 68 Montclair High School seniors who qualified for a drawing to win the 2022 Nissan Altima SR. Qualifications were based on a variety of factors related to attendance and academics. Her name was drawn from a raffle drum during the school’s Senior Awards Night on Thursday, April 21.
“I came for an award from school, and I came out with a brand new car,” an exuberant Gabriela said as she and her parents stood in disbelief next to the dark blue sedan. “I was crossing my fingers during the drawing – and so was my Mom.”
The graduating senior plans to commute to Cal Poly Pomona next fall, and said her parents were planning on buying her a car. “You made it possible,” she said in thanking representatives of the three stores that came together to purchase the vehicle; Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge of Ontario, Empire Nissan and Ontario Hyundai – all part of the OREMOR Automotive Group.
“We’re excited about a Drive for Excellence program – to help a local high school, give back to our community and incentivize students to get through school without missing class,” said Jillian Romero Chaves, Marketing Director for OREMOR.
Josh Cho, Principal at Montclair, commended the 68 qualifying seniors for the perseverance during these past couple of years, as schools have moved back to in-classroom learning.
“The pandemic created a lot of disruptions to the learning environment, but these students all showed tremendous will and commitment, and we’re so proud of them,” Cho said.
Dr. Mathew Holton, Superintendent of the Chaffey Joint Union High School District, thanked OREMOR Automotive Group and its local dealerships for supporting student success.
“We’re so grateful for their generosity and their commitment to our District and our students. The message that the Drive for Excellence program sends to our entire school community is a powerful one,” Dr. Holton said.
