LISD Samantha Ibarra & Sames Auto Group
Stay updated with the latest news, scores, and highlights in high school and college sports with LRD SPORTS WIRE NEWS Network.
Sames AUTO Gallery.
Perfect Attendance Winner
Samantha Ibarra receiving the Perfect Attendance award from Sames Auto Group. LISD PRESS RELEASE VERONICA CASTILLON, APR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNICATIONS LAREDO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT- Perfect attendance pays off with new car for Nixon High School student Showing up to school everyday is a priority for J.W. Nixon High School student Samantha Ibarra and it paid off in a big way on Tuesday afternoon. Ibarra was named the winner of a brand new 2026 Chevy Trax donated by the Sames Auto Group. The car was the grand prize winner in the 13th annual Drive Sames 4 Education Perfect Attendance Incentive program which encourages students to be in school on a daily basis. The giveaway was conducted Tuesday afternoon at the Sames Auto Arena just prior to the Raymond and Tirza Martin High School graduation ceremony. Sames Chief Executive Officer Evelyn Sames greeted the students and said she understands the cost of being in class every day. “It costs you the mornings when the alarm goes off and everything in you says not today,” Sames said. “It costs you the weeks when life gets heavy and hard and showing up feels impossible. It costs you something real. Every. Single. Day. And you paid it anyway.” “That is not a small thing. That is character. That is the exact quality every employer, every college, every opportunity in your future is looking for — and you've already proven you have it,” Sames added. “Thirteen years ago, we started the Drive Sames for Education program with one simple belief — that showing up matters,” Sames concluded. “That presence is the first step toward every opportunity life has to offer. Today, looking out at this arena, I'd say that belief turned into something far bigger than we ever imagined.”
Samantha Ibarra was awarded for her outstanding attendance record at the Sames Auto Group event.
Event Celebration
The Sames Auto Group has awarded 36 students brand-new vehicles and invested more than $1.3 million dollars into the futures of South Texas high school students. Ibarra said she was in shock when she won the car. “It was surreal. I couldn’t believe it,” she recalls. “I was shaking the whole time full of emotions.” “My Dad takes me to school every day,” she added. “I couldn’t have done it without my parents pushing me every day. God gave me the blessing to have the strength to wake up every day.” Ibarra is the daughter of Diana Melendez and Eduardo Ibarra. She attended M.S. Ryan Elementary School and M.B. Lamar Middle School. She is a member of Nixon’s National Honor Society, volleyball team, and track team where she runs the relays. She completed her drivers education class at Nixon and has her drivers permit. After graduating with the Nixon High School Class of 2027, Ibarra would like to attend Baylor University in Waco and study to become an anesthesiologist assistant. Ibarra was also provided with the vehicle’s tax, title and license donated by the Laredo Federal Credit Union. Rafael Martinez, president of the LFCU, congratulated Ibarra for her discipline throughout the school year by being in class the 175 days of the 2025-2026 school year.
Join Samantha Ibarra and Evelyn Sames in celebrating at the Sames Auto Group event.
Team Spirit
Also attending the car giveaway presentation were Sames representatives Darrell Gremillion, Chief Operations Officer; Trent Stricker, General Manager; Karla Gonzalez, Marketing Director; Coral Montalvo, Marketing Assistant; and Alejandro Almazan, Graphics Designer. Also representing the Laredo Federal Credit Union location on McPherson Road was Javier Gomez, Branch Manager. Four finalists were randomly selected from LISD’s four high schools. Each of the finalists were awarded with a gift card. Finalists from the Hector J. Garcia Early College High School were Andrea Breton, Beatriz Verdin, Sofia Madrigal, and Hernan Flores. Dr. Leonides G. Cigarroa High School finalists included Mareily Coto, Roger Hernandez, Lucia Garcia, and Mia Flores. The finalists from Raymond and Tirza Martin High School were Itzayana Isaias, Kayla Paredes, and Fenika Gonzalez. Kiara Gonzalez, Alicia Ureno, Estefany Hipolito, and Samantha V. Ibarra were the finalists from J.W. Nixon High School. For more information on the Drive Sames 4 Education Perfect Attendance Incentive Program, please contact the LISD Office of Communications at 956-273-1730.
Experience the camaraderie and passion for sports at Sames Auto Group.
Join Our Sports Community
“Stay connected with the latest sports news and updates from Laredo, Texas.” - LRD SW NEWS