Schools
Oak Forest HS Student Wins Car Raffle
Every high school student dreams of driving their own car
On the mind of every high school student is the dream of driving his or her own car and of cruising down the street with the windows down, the breeze in their hair, and listening to their favorite song on the radio. For one lucky sophomore this dream came true. Oak Forest High School Sophomore Kane Burke won a car in a raffle during Homecoming this year. The car, donated by Cross Country Coach Gary Andruch, was intended to be awarded at the football game but the weather did not cooperate. The Cross Country Team sold raffle tickets for $1 the week of Homecoming. According to Andruch, “This was the first car I had when I got hired in 2001 and it is a 2001 Honda Civic. It was still running well so I didn’t want to trade it in to the dealership. I thought it would be a nice car for a first time driver and just remembering some of the teachers I had at OFHS that helped me out, like Mr. McGarry and Mr. McDonough back when I went there in the 90’s, it seemed like a good way to give back. Not only did it help a student who needed a car, but it also helped my Cross Country Team raise funds that they desperately needed.” Kane, who is a Cross Country runner, does not even have his learner’s permit. “My birthday is in December,” he explained, “so I don’t get to take Driver’s Education until the third quarter.” Overall, Burke feels “lucky” that he won the car. He bought 15 raffle tickets, which made the car his for just $15. Burke is amused about the attention winning the car has given him at school. “Classmates of mine come up to me and tell me congratulations or say ‘Can I have that car?’ or ‘Hey, you stole my car!’” Many of his fellow students have offered to buy it off of him for $15. Burke said, “When I told my parents they were excited because we needed a car.” His parents are working and his sister as well, so there was a car crunch going on at his house. Burke said, “I never thought I would win. Then I thought, I might as well try.” And that optimistic spirit won him a great first car!
