The Woodgrove community is composed of many different people with many different interests and personalities. For some, that interest is cars. As cars are often seen as a cornerstone of the American teenager’s progression to individuality, they can play a big role in their lives. Many students express that through driving unique or very meaningful cars that hold great emotional value to them or simply by driving their vehicles as much as they do. A lot of people today view cars as not just a form of transportation, but something of more soulful value to each individual, largely a reflection of America’s notable car-centric culture and lifestyle. These Woodgrove students embody that, and have unique vehicles that mean something special to them.

Chris Arvanitis is an example of a 12th grade student who has committed a lot of their time and passion into cars.  A proud owner of a 1980 C3 Corvette, Arvanitis holds his car at a very high emotional value. He bought it several years ago in very rough shape. It is a highly modified car that is also very old and, since he has taken it on as a project car, its sentimental value has only grown. “Working on it has brought me closer to my brothers and my love for cars,” Arvanitis claims. With a fully built Chevy 350 engine, a bored engine block for the highest compression ratio possible, and multiple other modifications such as wide rear street tires to a custom-built hood scoop, Arvanitis feels that his car means much more than just transportation. It has had a “huge impact on his day-to-day life,” beyond just transporting him.

Thatcher Thomas drives a 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser, widely regarded as one of the most reliable 4×4 vehicles ever made. One of the key points Thomas makes about his love for the vehicle is that “it’s imperfect and older, which gives it character.” With 315,000 miles on it and a nearly 25 year old design, the Land Cruiser provides a feeling to driving that not many modern vehicles can replicate. For Thomas, it has taken him across many states several times to visit family and made day-to-day travel much more enjoyable and still reliable. It can also serve as an off-road and camping tool, as the car has been fitted with larger tires and an aftermarket roof rack, as well as refurbished bumpers. 

Ellarie Mesecar is another Woodgrove student with an extra appreciation for cars and drives a 2014 Volkswagen Beetle.Her view of her vehicle is straightforward: “I’ve wanted a Beetle for so many years, and it’s my favorite car type ever,” as she puts it. For this reason, Mesecar is happy to drive it every day. The most notable feature is the white stripe against the baby blue body paint, but otherwise she has kept it bone stock. Mesecar values the car largely from a visual perspective, and she loves this specific make, model and year for the body style and general design. The VW Beetle’s iconic design has permeated automotive history since its origin in the 1930’s, and it needs next to no visual aids to make it exciting. According to her, “I can’t go a day without someone commenting on my car!”

For Brayden Santoli, his car is closely tied to his family, and that is part of what makes it special to him. He is the driver of a 2002 Ford Thunderbird, but not the first—his grandfather owned it initially and sold it to his grandmother on the other side of the family. Then, it eventually became a gift to Brayden himself. This connection meant early on it had become his “dream car, because it was one of the first sports cars [he] had dealt with.” Additionally, it plays a social role in the fact that it is “a good talking piece among many of my friends,” as Santoli puts it. Additionally, he pointed out that the nature of the car itself just makes it “fun to drive” all around.

Senior Denver Elliott owns a 1996 Ford F250 that is largely rebuilt, and to him it plays a “very big role” in everyday life. After buying it in extremely poor condition to match his grandfather’s same truck, he changed everything, including “brake lines, calipers, pads, drums, new shocks, intake, oil pan, wheels, tires, dash, seat, coolant reservoir, rebuilt front differential and axle, [and] wheel bearings.” Now, it is his daily driver and something he feels proud of.