The Okeechobee High School Brahman Auto Shop will be receiving some brand new shop equipment after winning a contest on Jan. 23.
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OKEECHOBEE- The Okeechobee High School Brahman Auto Shop will be receiving some brand new shop equipment after winning a contest on Jan. 23.
Zeeline by Milton began accepting nominations in their Tools for Schools Giveaway on Jan. 8. Over 100 schools were nominated for the giveaway. The final winner would come down to which school got the most votes in an online contest held from Jan. 15 through Jan. 21.
Competition in the voting contest was tough, especially for a small town like Okeechobee. But despite the odds being stacked against the Brahmans, the town rallied around the automotive program and had the school battling for the top spot in the final days. Okeechobee’s main competition as the voting came to an end was Hemet High School located in Hemet, California. Both schools traded the number one spot in the final days, with Hemet taking a lead of over a few hundred votes in the last day.
For a comparison for how impressive it was for the Brahmans to be neck-and-neck with Hemet you only need to compare the population of each school’s county. Okeechobee County has a population of around 40,000, while Riverside County, where Hemet is located, has a population of 2.4 million.
For the Brahman Auto Shop to win with that kind of disparity, the entire community of Okeechobee had to be on board with voting in the competition. Friends and family in Okeechobee shared the contest far and wide on social media. And, sure enough, in the final hours the Brahman Auto Shop retook the lead and won the contest.
“I want to thank the Okeechobee community from the bottom of my heart for the support,” said OHS auto shop teacher Jason Anderson. “This was truly a community win.”
Tools included in the grand prize are a 21-Gallon professional combination oil drain and fluid evacuator, 9-piece insulated pliers and screwdrivers tool set designed to protect against electric accidents, hand operated drum pump for 15-55 gallon containers, heavy-duty digital tire pressure gauge and inflator, and a 6 oz. pressurized brake cleaner sprayer. The total retail value of the grand prize is $1,437.
