CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) Northwest High School senior Emily Mummaw was all smiles Saturday evening. Mummaw won a car at the 11th Annual Pass and Go Event at Wyatt Johnson Automotive Group’s Mazda dealership.
Pass and Go rewards Clarksville-Montgomery County School System high school students who pass their Advanced Placement (AP) exams. The event was made possible through the support of community partners.
One of the reasons for CMCSS students’ success is the incentive of winning a brand-new car. Wyatt Johnson Automotive Group hosts the event each year. Students who pass the AP exam with a score of 3, 4 or 5 have a chance to win a 2019 Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Accent or Kia Rio.
Mummaw shared her excitement of winning the new car. “It’s insane, I didn’t even think I would make it to the first round, it’s just crazy, it doesn’t feel real,” said Mummaw. She added that she had not made a decision yet on which car she would choose.
The event is made possible through the support of community partners. Other sponsors include the Clarksville-Montgomery County Education Foundation, Domino’s Pizza and Beach Oil, which provided additional prizes students could win. Some of the other prizes were 50-inch smart TV’s, GoPros, gas cards, and pizza cards.
In the final round of drawing on Saturday, eligible students had the opportunity to draw one of 10 keys which opened a car door. The 10 key holders who opened the door, then had the chance to draw the one key which started the car.
Managing Partner at Wyatt Johnson, and Tennessee State Senator, Bill Powers, said they host Pass and Go because they believe in public education. “This is our eighth year of doing [Pass and Go] in support of public education and we are thrilled to have the ability to do what we do for Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools,” Powers said.
A record number of CMCSS students took AP exams in May with their pass results more than doubling the national average. This year, 1,343 CMCSS tenth, eleventh and twelfth graders were enrolled in AP classes and took 2,198 exams, passing 1,046 exams with a 3, 4 or 5.
The AP exam pass rate for CMCSS students is 49%, which has been the case for several years. This pass rate is more than double the national pass rate, which was about 22% in 2016.
The event has garnered national attention with the school system being recognized as a 2017 District of Distinction for encouraging students to take AP classes and increase the exam pass rate.