BENTONVILLE -- With a good attendance record and a little bit of luck, three Northwest Arkansas high school students will drive away at the end of this school year with a new car.
McLarty Daniel Automotive of Bentonville is donating one car to each of three schools -- Bentonville High School, West High School and Rogers High School -- to be used as an incentive for students to come to class each day.
Attendance rates
Attendance rates from the 2014-15 school year for Bentonville and Rogers high schools:
• Bentonville High School: 92.4 percent
• Heritage High School: 92.4 percent
• Rogers High School: 93.2 percent
• New Technology High School: 94.7 percent
Source: Arkansas Department of Education
Students who achieve perfect attendance for a grading period will receive one entry into a drawing for their school's car. Additional entries will be awarded to students whose attendance is perfect for consecutive quarters or for the entire year.
Each student can earn up to 27 entries by the time the drawings are held in May.
The dealer delivered a 2016 Nissan Versa to Bentonville High School's campus Thursday. The car is parked in front of the North Building's front entrance.
Principal Jack Loyd said in his 29 years of experience in education, he's never seen a prize like this offered to students.
"It's been the talk of campus," Loyd said.
West High School hasn't received its car yet, but it's coming, said Principal Jonathon Guthrie.
"I want to create a school environment where kids want to come," Guthrie said. "And it's great when we can partner with a local business to support that."
Ashley Siwiec, director of communications for the Rogers School District, said Rogers High School is grateful for the donation.
A McLarty Daniel representative with knowledge of the car donation program didn't return a phone call seeking comment Friday.
NW News on 09/17/2016