Moorestown’s Project Graduation has been a huge event for Moorestown High School graduates for about 27 years. What used to be a fun, alcohol-free celebration for seniors has recently become more than just a one-day event and has extended throughout the week, including social media incorporation. However, Project Graduation can’t be done without the help of the community.
Members of the Moorestown Education/Project Graduation are asking for businesses and residents of the community to make a donation to help graduates have a fun, safe, alcohol-free night after graduation.
“Project Graduation has been a big part of our community. It is such a great memory, and continues to be for me. We’re asking members of the community to step in and make sure we continue to provide that same magical experience each year ahead,” said Trevor Durham, a MHS alumnus and a member of the Project Graduation Committee.
Project Graduation is a nationwide initiative that began 36 years ago in Oxford Hills, Maine, in response to seven alcohol- and drug-related teen deaths that occurred during graduation celebration. Moorestown adopted Project Graduation 27 years ago as an annual community-sponsored event for MHS graduates.
The event shows teenage parties with alcohol-free and drug-free alternatives can still be a lot of fun. Project Graduation not only protects MHS graduates during this particular event, but also serves as an example to the town’s children that celebrations do not need to include drugs or alcohol to be fun.
“I would want them to realize that they can celebrate an event and have an amazing and spectacular time without a drop of alcohol or drugs,” Robin Pendino, another Project Graduation committee member, said.
“The desire is to have each one of our graduates that we can provide for them a safe and fun-filled week-long event that culminates to an all-night long celebration,” Durham said.
The week begins on Monday with a senior picnic; and then, throughout the week, seniors will check Twitter where Durham will tweet last-minute secret locations and activities that students can go to or win prizes by going to the secret location mentioned.
“It is something we didn’t have going on, but we obviously had such a strong Twitter presence, we had to do it. We do spur-of-the-moment events. It allows for constant contact and spur-of-the-moment activities that really build up excitement for the week leading up to graduation,” Durham said.
On the day of their graduation, MHS graduates will leave directly from the high school, immediately following their graduation ceremony, and board buses headed to secret locations where they are entertained with games, food and prizes while keeping the celebration going all night long. The students, along with community and school staff volunteers, return to MHS at 5 a.m. the following morning tired, but safe.
Durham and Pendino said their favorite part of the event is seeing all the seniors come together. It doesn’t matter their background or what they were involved in, the students really come together as a group to achieve goals to win prizes and have fun while doing so.
“It is so heartwarming to see these kids get along and have a fun time. It doesn’t matter their background or their GPA, they all get along so great and it is just wonderful,” Pendino said.
The cost of this event is more than $150 per student, which is funded through the generosity of students’ families, local businesses and the community. To support Project Graduation, you can make a tax-deductible contribution at www.moorestowneducationfoundation.org or make a check payable to MEF/Project Graduation and mail it to Moorestown Project Graduation 2015, c/o Moorestown High School, 350 Bridgeboro Road, Moorestown, N.J. 08057.
“It really is a daunting task to put on Project Graduation; any amount is appreciated,” Pendino said.
“Year after year, we put this event on and celebrate our graduates. The donation portion is so important, from the town and even from around the country, to celebrate our children and provide them a safe and fun environment on their graduation night. We are thankful for any involvement anyone desires to have in the night,” Durham said.
Also this year, Project Graduation is selling new lawn-signs in support of the graduating class. The sign says, “Congratulations! Moorestown High School Class of 2015.” Graduates and parents of graduates aren’t the only ones asked to purchase a lawn sign, but everyone is asked to buy one to show their support of high school students graduating and the class of 2015. Lawn signs are $25 each, and forms can be found online.
“As a community, it is a nice way to honor our senior class. We’d like it to become a tradition. Even if you’ve already graduated…just do it to honor the senior class,” Pendino said.
If interested in volunteering, contact Maria Giarratano at maria.g@foxroach.com.
