After several years without missing a day of school, Manhattan High junior Daniel Wei came away from the football scrimmage as the winner of a 2012 Jeep Liberty in the annual car giveaway for students with perfect attendance, sponsored by Briggs Auto.

“Unless it’s a college visit, it’s perfect attendance,” senior principal David Holloway said. “So if you have an appointment and you leave for an hour, that kicks you out of the running.”

This isn’t We’s first time having perfect attendance. In fact he has had perfect attendance for several years. Along with outstanding attendance, Wei also has outstanding grades, and he believes that his attendance affects his grades positively. 

“I guess I have an addiction to keep the streak alive,” We said.

Holloway says that the car give-away is a great way of motivating for students to get better attendance. The event was conducted for several years, then was discontinued, and was brought back a few years ago by Briggs. Since the COVID semesters, the number of students with perfect attendance has grown.

“The year we brought it back we only had 11 kids,” Holloway said, “and now we have 30.”

Wei said he is glad to have a car for himself and plans to drive it to school. 

“We only have enough cars for my parents for work, so it’s really useful,” he said.