Zoily Sarabia wins Troy Moran Ride with the Pirate Pride car

Submitted photo/Zoily Sarabia tests out her new car.

By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor

Pirate News is a presentation of Hart Public Schools in partnership with Oceana County Press. 

HART — Hart High School sophomore Zoily Sarabia recently won the Troy Moran Ride with the Pirate Pride car.

The 2015 Chevrolet Malibu was procured by Greg Fleming of Affordable Auto in Shelby, said Det. Sgt. Kevin Skipski of the Hart Police Department, who is the Hart school district’s school resource officer. “They took about $2,000 off the list price. He was very gracious about it.”

The Norton Shores Police Department began the Ride with Pride program at Mona Shores High School, and it branched out to other schools. The late Troy Moran, who was Hart High School’s principal, began the Ride with Pride program at Hart in 2023 and also launched it at Montague High School when he was principal there before working in Hart. Shelby High School launched a Ride with Pride program this year.

“We started running with it and got it off the ground,” said Skipski.

Tragically, Moran died of a heart attack just prior to last year’s event, and the event was named the Troy Moran Ride with Pirate Pride in his memory.

Students sign a pledge to abstain from unhealthy and unsafe behaviors, like drinking alcohol, using drugs, drinking and driving and distracted driving, to not only make safe and healthy lifestyle decisions but also for a chance to win the car. The field was narrowed down to finalists, and then ultimately the lucky winner Zoily Sarabia was randomly selected. A total of 220 Hart students took the pledge this year.

“It’s such a tribute to Troy — he’s the one who brought it here. We need to continue to have this tradition in his name. The students loved it. They were very excited about the event and that it was still going and that it was a tribute to Troy. It’s a great program for kids to do their best in school.

“There were a ton of donors — a whole list of businesses that gave us donations.” Another significant donor was John Heykoop of Eagle Towing who donated $2,000 toward the purchase of the car, he said.

“A tribute to Troy is really what this is all about. It’s always going to be that way.”

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