On Thursday, June 20, Moorestown High School’s graduating seniors will file into the stadium, walk across the stage to receive their diplomas and toss their caps as they celebrate their high school careers coming to a close. But before they part ways and embark on the next chapter of their lives, Moorestown’s Project Graduation team plans to give them a night they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.
Immediately following graduation, students board buses at MHS and travel down Main Street for what has come to be known as a “clap out.” Members of the Moorestown community and passersby along Main clap as the procession of buses makes its way down the town’s main thoroughfare.
Students are bused to three secret locations, and kept out all night, returning to MHS at 6 a.m. The night’s itinerary is kept secret from the students, but past nights have included trips to aquariums, bowling alleys and arcades. Over the course of the evening, students have opportunities to win a variety of prizes.
Project Graduation began in Oxford Hills, Maine, in 1980 and has since blossomed into a nationwide initiative providing students with a safe, substance-free, all-night-long graduation celebration. The event was created in response to seven drug- and alcohol-related deaths that occurred during graduation celebrations in Oxford Hills. This year marks Moorestown’s 31st year of holding a Project Graduation celebration.
Trevor Durham, a Project Graduation volunteer, said more people have gotten involved in Project Graduation each passing year. Durham has volunteered for nearly a decade, and he said they’re constantly brainstorming ways to enhance the night’s festivities.
“The fun of the event is that there’s still a chance for surprise to happen, which is not always easy to come by when you’re in your later years of high school,” Durham said. There’s a fun in being surprised, and we work really hard to keep that for students. You never know where you’re headed next.”
Nearly 99 percent of the graduating class participates at this point, according to Durham. To finance the event, the team has to fundraise around $200 per student, which is no small feat, Durham said.
Carolyn Ciniglia, a Project Graduation chair for the class of 2019, said Project Graduation is a community-wide effort. Her son, Alec, is now a junior in college, but she began volunteering when he was a freshman at MHS. She said everyone in the community can agree that they want their kids to celebrate graduation in a safe, fun way.
“I think it’s a great opportunity,” Ciniglia said. “It’s a controlled, safe environment, so they’re not out drinking and driving.”
Ciniglia said watching the students pull away from the high school and depart for the final hurrah with their fellow students is decidedly emotional. She said Project Graduation is the last night for students to come together with their entire class and celebrate.
Paige Coleman, a class of 2018 graduate, said she’d encourage people to donate to Project Graduation because the evening is a memory most students will take with them. She said every donation helps make the night special for the graduating class.
“It’s seriously one of the most fun experiences you’ll have as a Moorestown kid,” Coleman said.
Project Graduation is fundraising up until the night of graduation. The group is still seeking volunteers. To donate or get involved, visit https://mhsprojectgraduation.com.
