Waltham High School Junior Wins Car

WALTHAM, MA — After more than two dozen Waltham students took turns at turning a key in an ignition, Waltham High School Junior Jan Franco was the lucky winner of Honda Civic, with sleek spoiler.

The fancy, certified pre-owned 2007 car was donated by Newton Honda Village and the Keys to Success program established by Village Automotive Group.

Now in its 11th year, Keys to Success is an incentive program rewarding high school students who achieve excellence. Students are given exciting prizes monthly for excelling in various categories during the school year. At the end of the year, those recognized during the academic calendar have the opportunity to compete to win a certified pre-owned car or a $5,000 scholarship.

This year, 49 students were nominated by Waltham High School faculty for good deeds done throughout the year and were rewarded with the chance to turn the ignition of a certified pre-owned car and drive away with it. Each student tested their keys one by one, but it was Jan,17, was the lucky winner.

Jan was nominated for the program by his teacher, Kevin Keaney, who noticed that Jan’s coding assignment he built from scratch stood out the most during a graphic design “hour of code challenge” in class.

The one hangup? Jan currently does not have his license – so he needed to talk with his parents before deciding whether to accept the pre-owned car or $5,000 scholarship. Although his mother couldn’t make it to the event, she was the first one Jan called to share his exciting news.

“Since the beginning, Keys to Success has been one of our most rewarding community involvement programs,” said Ray Ciccolo, President and CEO of Village Automotive Group. “To see the excitement and surprise in the eyes of each deserving teen when they win his or her own car is an incredibly gratifying experience for everyone involved each year.”

Three Waltham High School graduates currently work at Newton Honda Village, one of whom was a former Keys to Success winner.

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Photos courtesy Keys to Success and Newton Honda Village.