A Driving Force

Robbins Toyota Awarded a New Vehicle to LE Graduate Kalen Redmond for Perfect Attendance
By Lindsey McMillan

(photo by lauren simmons)

Kalen Redmond is getting an exciting head start as he finishes high school and prepares for college. He is the lucky winner of a brand new 2023 Toyota Corolla, compliments of Robbins Toyota. The car was part of an inaugural giveaway sponsored by the dealership and its owner, Susan Robbins. Any Texarkana high school senior with perfect attendance was eligible to be entered into the drawing, which was held on May 26th. Susan and the dealership’s general manager, Charles Pankey, drew the winning name at a dinner at Monjunis, also courtesy of Robbins Toyota. The fourteen eligible students were honored at the dinner, alongside two guests each and school administrators. 

The high schools participating were Texas High School, Arkansas High School, Liberty Eylau High School, Pleasant Grove High School, and Trinity Christian School. Susan and her staff visited the campuses early on and promoted the drawing. 

Kalen, whose name was drawn, is a Liberty Eylau graduate who is headed to Texarkana College in the fall. The dealership also drew two additional names and gave away a Macbook Pro, an iPad Pro, and two $500 Visa gift cards. The second and third winners were Texas High School seniors: Madison Barth and Hershel Green

Susan and her staff were very excited about the giveaway. While many merit-based scholarships are issued to high school seniors, Susan and her team wanted to reward students’ dedication to school attendance. 

A cum laude graduate and artist, Kalen was accepted to The Art Institute of Dallas to study graphic design for film and television. He intends to complete his core classes at TC before transferring. Kalen was very excited to have a brand new car and was acclaimed by Liberty Eylau Principal, Dr. Roshea Phillips, for being a conscientious and deserving student. Terece Gooden, Kalen’s mom, was very excited about her son’s winning and said he was always insistent on going to school, even on days he was under the weather. “We had no idea this would be the reward for that,” she said. “A job well done. Kudos to him.” Terece also shared that Kalen wasn’t allowed to work while he was in school so that he could remain focused on his work—a rule which surely helped him achieve perfect attendance, a feat which so few area students accomplished.

Susan Robbins, Kalen Redmond, and Charles Pankey (Photo by lauren simmons)

Susan hopes that many more students will be eligible next year and plans to promote the giveaway at the beginning of the school year, at the senior kick-off rallies and events. 

Susan has been at the helm of Robbins Toyota since 2016. Her father, Eddie Robbins, opened the dealership in 1966 and was a hands-on, active owner until his passing. When her father became ill in 2014, Susan got more involved with the dealership, learning all she needed in order to take over as its new leader. Growing up, she spent many hours watching her father at work, witnessing his strong work ethic and love for the dealership. She is proud to carry on the Robbins legacy of being a local business and a good community partner. 

“We like to give back to the community in a lot of different ways, but we wanted to do something that was a little bit different,” she said. “We hope it will open up some doors that individuals may not have otherwise.”