For Jose Sanchez-Flores, showing up to school every day for three years got him more than just good grades. The Strawberry Crest High School graduate won a brand new 2014 Scion XB car June 14, when he drew the winning car key during the fourth annual Toyota of Tampa Bay New Car Giveaway.
The giveaway included more than 350 recent graduates who attended school each day of either the first or second semester of their senior year. Twelve graduates’ names were drawn from a fish bowl, giving them an opportunity to choose a key and try it in the car lock.
“It’s amazing my key opened the car,” Sanchez-Flores said. “I was at least lucky enough to be drawn. I couldn’t believe it.”
Even though this is the 19-year-old’s first car, he’s only driven it three times so far. He immigrated in 2009, to the United States from San Salvador, after his parents and two brothers died in a car accident. His grandmother, Maria Olvera, welcomed him and his brother into her home.
“It’s a great area here,” Sanchez-Flores said. “It’s kind of the way I used to live in San Salvador. It’s really nice.”
Sanchez-Flores attended Tomlin Middle School as an eighth-grader, when he first moved in with his grandmother. Although he was going through some big changes, he vowed to do well in school. When he hit his sophomore year, he went to every single day of school. The tradition continued.
“I try to do my best to make my grandma proud of me,” Sanchez-Flores said. “She takes care of me. I just want to make her proud.”
Even sickness couldn’t stop Sanchez-Flores. He came down with an illness for two weeks and still went to school.
When he saw the sign about perfect attendance and the car giveaway, he made it a goal to keep up his record.
Sanchez-Flores plans to work for year and then attend Hillsborough Community College. He hopes to transfer to the University of South Florida after two years and plans to become a nutritionist.
“I like to be in the healthy lifestyle and be fit,” Sanchez-Flores said. “All the bad food people eat will do bad for your body.”
A nutritionist is his dream job, but Sanchez-Flores also treated school like a job. That’s his advice to others who will be returning to the locker-lined hallways next year.
“Take school like a job,” Sanchez-Flores said. “Right now, they’re going to school and not getting paid, but it will help them be more successful in life. It’s a responsibility.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.