I wrote the following little blurb for my parents' local newspaper, as well as for fliers to be posted around their town. (My baby sister is graduating this year and my mom is on the Project Grad committee!) I thought it might be worth posting to a wider audience, as it really is a great thing that communities are doing and it deserves any support you or your friends are willing to give. Our parents at Vicksburg High School go all-out, but a lot of schools in Southwest Michigan have a version of Project Graduation. And there's a high school in every town--so if they have a Project Grad program at a school near you, consider getting involved! If they don't, check out the statistics below--you could make a big difference by suggesting it. :)
It Takes a Village...
"Project what?" you say. Project Graduation! It's an elaborately-planned, no-holds-barred, all-night celebration put on by parents for the graduating seniors every year. Why do they love it? It's an opportunity to hang out with the ENTIRE class one last time to celebrate their accomplishment in a variety of awesome places. Why should you love it? It's positively reinforcing an alcohol-free way to party. Over the past 10 years, Michigan teens involved in drunk driving-related accidents has decreased by 34.9 percent, and fatalities resulting from such accidents have decreased by 46 percent (OHSP 2008). These statistics are in no small part due to great events like Project Grad. Instead of excited grads celebrating by drinking with their friends, a group of committed parents and seniors are tirelessly planning a healthier, safer way to have fun. But they can't do it alone. You may not have a senior, or even a school-aged child at all...but if you see an opportunity to contribute--giving your pop cans, attending an art fair, etc.--consider taking it knowing that you too can help make our community better, our streets safer, and the futures of our students brighter. Thank you!
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