Flathead High School junior Jesse Pentelute was at the back of a crowd at Green Nissan when his name was called as the winner of a 2013 Nissan Versa Saturday.

Attending school each and every day had paid off.

Pentelute was one of approximately 123 students from six area high schools who had perfect attendance during the school year and were entered into Green Nissan’s Cool to Stay in School drawing for a new car.

Just as students needed to have perfect attendance at school, students also had to be present at Saturday’s drawing to win. Pentelute was one of about 99 students who showed up. Simply put, Pentelute described winning in two words.

“It’s awesome,” Pentelute said.

Participating schools include Bigfork, Columbia Falls, Flathead, Glacier, Stillwater Christian and Whitefish high schools.

The contest, now in its third year, has increased in the number of students achieving perfect attendance according to Ricky Franks, general manager of Green Nissan, Mountain Auto Marine and Green Hyundai. There were 20 more students who qualified from the previous year.

“Some kids are in their second or third year of perfect attendance,” Franks said.

Franks said he has received positive feedback from administrators and parents of how the contest has impacted student attendance in the Flathead Valley.

“The more kids we get to stay in school the more kids aspire to go to college and come back to our community as educated and well rounded people and that helps everyone in the community,” Franks said.

“They are all winners and they are going to aspire to do bigger, better things in our community.”