Lucky AP Student to Walk Away With New Car

A good grade is not the only thing one lucky Advanced Placement (AP) student will walk away with next summer after passing their exams. A student from one of four local high schools will drive-not walk-away with a fresh new set of wheels as well.

AP students from , , Pequannock and Pompton Lakes High Schools will have the opportunity to participate in an AP Challenge where if they receive a 3 or better on their AP exams, they will be entered into a drawing to win a brand new car from Route 23 Automall. If they are enrolled in several AP courses and take more than one exam, they will be entered more than once for each exam they achieve a 3 or greater on.

While a similar challenge has been sponsored by a Toyota dealership in Tennessee, member and retired teacher Cynthia Sokoloff and Marge Gilles came to Superintendent Mario Cardinale and Mark Mikens of Route 23 Automall with the idea to bring the concept to the area.

Mikens said the details are still being ironed out for the contest, and the dealership is looking for local businesses to make donations, but the concept is that students who are enrolled for AP courses at the four high schools will take the exams next year and those who score a 3 or better will be entered into the drawing. Of those students entered, 12 finalists will be selected and will be handed keys. All of the keys will open the door of the new car, but only one key will actually start the vehicle. The student holding that key will be the winner.

All of the taxes on the vehicle will be paid for so that the student will be receiving the vehicle virtually cost -free, with the exception of registration costs associated with the New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles. Students must be of age to drive in order to be eligible. The winner will be announced after the finalists test their keys on the car next July.

In addition to the car, Mikens said he is working with local businesses to be able to give away other prizes, such as laptop computers and iPods, to students who were also in the drawing for the car for scoring well on their exams, but who did not win the car.

Mikens said that he understands that sometimes, students need a little pushing to work harder on their academics.

"There needs to be a reason for them to do it," he said. Mikens said he hopes this contest "takes the vacation out of it and gives them a reason."

Cardinale said that students sometimes forget the benefits of scoring well on the AP exam, such as their grades looking good on a their transcripts. The school having higher AP scores from its students also reflects well on the district, he said, and helps determine the quality of the courses the school is offering.

The superintendent also said he is hoping this challenge encourages kids to sign up for AP courses and work toward achieving higher grades on the exams.

Principal William Hanisch praised the contest idea and said this could be a good motivator for the students.

"This is a reason for them to bust their chops," he said. "It's a win-win for the kids. It's a win-win for the schools."