Staff Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Cody Bowles, center, tosses his cap into the air with other seniors at the end of Archer High School’s commencement ceremony on Wednesday. The 112 seniors who walked for their diplomas mark the school’s first ever graduating class

PRESS RELEASE FROM LEON COUNTY SCHOOLS:

(TALLAHASSEE, FL) May 26, 2010 – Next week, over 2000 high school seniors at six participating Leon County public schools can opt for a safe alternative to celebrate the milestone of their high school graduation. Project Graduation provides the option for students to party all-night in a safe, supervised environment.

Parent volunteers, students, law enforcement, participating school personnel and businesses are working together to encourage students to attend their school’s Project Graduation.
The fun-filled, supervised parties are coordinated and hosted by parent volunteers and operate strictly on community donations.

“It takes the community to keep our young people safe,” said Kristen Black, director of community affairs for Tri-Eagle Sales. “Project Graduation is an event we are proud to support and offers a safe, responsible choice for our graduating seniors in Leon County”. The company has been a sponsor of all Leon county public high schools for the past seven years.

Twenty six years ago, a group of parents and caring community members started Project Graduation at Leon High School. That concept expanded and now dozens of high schools in Leon and surrounding counties host the events, which start late in the evening and end at 6:00am the following morning.

Carmen Votey-Mills is a parent of a Leon High School graduating senior and coordinator of Project Graduation activities: “Donating a dollar here, a dollar there to the high school of your choice or your alma mater adds up and keeps graduates off the road drinking, driving and now texting. Saving lives is what it's all about..."

Renee Lapointe, a parent and Project Graduation planning committee member adds: "Don't think of it as being someone else's problem, think of it as ensuring the future safety of someone you know, someone you love on a night that should be remembered for all the happy reasons”.
2010 Project Graduation Fact Sheet

Godby High School June 2nd Fun Station

Leon High School June 3rd FSU Leach Center

Lincoln High School June 1st Fun Station

Rickards High School June 5th Fun Station

Florida High June 4th Florida High Gymnasium

Chiles High School June 5th Premier Health and Fitness

Everyone Benefits!

Students:

Students will look back on this as a very special night to remember
Students experience a great time without the illegal use of alcohol or drugs
Every senior has a party to attend on graduation night
All seniors are together to celebrate, perhaps for the last time
Parents
Parents know their children won’t be offered alcohol or drugs at the event
Parents know their children will not be driving with an impaired driver
Parents know where their children are
Parents know their children are supervised

The Community:

Everyone joins together to work towards a common goal
The community can take pride in helping provide a positive experience for teens
Safe choices such as Project Graduation prevent graduation night tragedies that harm the community as a whole. Graduation is one of the highest risk nights for high school students