Thursday, May 21, 1998

A hearty party for our grads to finish with

Parents, teachers and school administrators across the state are concerned that their graduating seniors will be celebrating appropriately or engaging in activities that can cause permanent harm to themselves and others. Some school districts are even resorting to breathalyzer tests for admission to graduation functions.

The Abilene community has been successfully addressing this concern for more than a decade through an important local event known as Project Graduation. Thanks to efforts of volunteers who make up Parents Who Care, a nonprofit organization that started 13 years ago, Project Graduation provides graduates of Abilene and Cooper high schools a drug-free, alcohol-free environment in which to celebrate earning their diplomas. For Wylie grads, the party is sponsored by Project Graduation Wylie High School Inc., which is governed by a board of parents of seniors.

Cooper seniors will be the first to experience the "freedom day" party at the Civic Center after tonight's graduation. The party begins at 10:30 and ends at 5 a.m. Friday morning. Abilene High's turn takes place Friday night and Saturday morning. The Wylie party will be May 29 At Redbud Park YMCA from 10 p.m.-6 a.m.

Seniors may bring a guest and must arrive drug and alcohol free -- and stay that way. There'll be music, movies, games and plenty of food. At the Abilene High and Cooper parties, a car will be given away. Other prizes include stereos, TVs, movie passes and dinners.

Wylie volunteers have raised $20,000 in prizes, including four computers, microwaves, a dorm refrigerator, telephones, CD players, answering machines and gift certificates. Each Wylie student who stays past midnight will receive a $40 door prize.

Over the years, Project Graduation has successfully put a positive spin on peer pressure and mob mentality. The more teens who go, the more want to go, to spend one last night -- in safety and security -- with those who have been their classmates for years before their roads take them in various and sundry directions. Organizers are hoping for 100 percent participation.

Since Project Graduation was initiated here, Abilene has not recorded one alcohol-related accident involving graduating high school students. That's quite a record and one well worth maintaining.