Naperville student wins $100,000 in tuition contest
What's the best way to calm your nerves before a chance to win $100,000?
For Kotryna Staputyte, it's a spin on a roller coaster, naturally.
"I honestly just wanted to have a fun time," Staputyte says.
That strategy - to distract herself from the pressure - paid off with Staputyte claiming the big check Saturday night in the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway.
Before stepping onto the field at halftime during the Pac-12 Championship game in Santa Clara, California, Staputyte, a College of DuPage student from Naperville, enjoyed a VIP party and a visit to the Great America amusement park.
And she looked relaxed standing next to the other finalist in the contest, despite the stakes: Throw as many football passes as possible in 30 seconds through a giant Dr Pepper can near the end zone and win the $100,000 in tuition.
On the first throw, Staputyte missed the target, with just a 2-foot diameter. But the 20-year-old with dreams of becoming a doctor regained her form and even a television announcer took notice.
"We were neck and neck," Staputyte said of her competitor.
She eked out a narrow comeback, punching 17 throws into the can - or one better than her opponent.
"It's going to change everything," Staputyte said in an interview on ESPN. "It's going to help me pursue my dream of helping those with disabilities in the medical field without worrying about finances."
She hopes to transfer to DePaul University to study biology after earning an associate degree in science at COD. After her win, she thanked Dr Pepper and her "best friend back home," Dominykas Mockapetris.
In words and a video posted to the contest's website, Staputyte recalled how she met Mockapetris, then a new student with a developmental disability from her native Lithuania at Naperville Central High School. And she remembered how he transformed after helping him adjust to a new school and culture and make friends.
In a phone interview, Staputyte said he was cheering her on from a family get-together at her Naperville home.
He, she said, is her "biggest inspiration" for her career goals.
I'm so glad to be part of his life," she said.