"Honestly, not too many people can say they've had four years of perfect attendance, and so I'm proud to say that," said senior Trevor Akiyoshi.
Akiyoshi, like every other student at Upland High School, has had an extra incentive to get to class every day. Because perfect attendance this school year, means you'll have your name entered in a drawing for a brand new car from a local Chevy dealership.
But there's a catch, students must be present for the drawing in order to win. Because Akiyoshi signed up for a non-school sponsored trip to Europe with his Spanish class next week, if he goes, he's ineligible for the car.
"I'm quite disappointed actually. My whole goal for constantly coming to school whether I was sick with tonsillitis or, you know, jammed ankle from pole vaulting, was to be in this running for the car," said Akiyoshi.
There are a total of 178 students still eligible for the new car. Akiyoshi says he knows his chances are slim, but he thinks he still deserves a chance."
"I really wanted to be in the drawing more than anything," said Akiyoshi.
As for the school principal, Ivan Ayro, he says the rules are the rules.
"We've had some who've had to go to funerals, different things that have caused some students to be out of the running for the program already, and so I can't just break the rule for this one student, who unfortunately, is going on a trip," said Ayro.
Akiyoshi says it seems ironic that he had perfect attendance for the entire year, but he's out of the running because he'll miss the drawing.
"Honestly, for someone who's worked as hard as I did, I don't want to say it's fair, but I guess they did have guidelines," he said.
