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Project Graduation numbers disappointingly down
About 80 fewer seniors expected for Monday night's event
As of last Friday, about 80 fewer students than in 2008 had purchased tickets to attend this year's mystery tour event. Graduation is at 5 p.m. Monday in the Pensacola Civic Center, and Project Grad will disembark from GBHS to an undisclosed destination several hours later. "Last year, we had about 250 attendees," Project Grad co-chairman Paula Brown said. "We typically have about twothirds of the class go. With 344 graduating seniors this year, two-thirds of that is about 230. "So far, we have 169 signed up, 61 short from reaching the two-thirds level. Last year, we had way over two-thirds go. Compared to last year, we are down about 100 students." Project Graduation began at GBHS in the early 1980s. It was created to provide a safe, chemical free environment for graduated seniors to safely celebrate one of the biggest milestones of their lives. National statistics show that more young people between ages 16 and 20 are injured or killed between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. during graduation season (May and June) than any other time of the year. In 2005, the Community Drug and Alcohol Council reported that 51 teenagers were injured or killed in alcoholrelated accidents in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Brown said she's hearing that more students plan to attend private post-graduation parties where alcohol might be available. "It's very disappointing because the whole object of Project Graduation is to keep the students in a safe environment after graduation, to keep them off the roads, to keep them from drinking and driving," Brown said. "That was a big concern coming in - that we did have a lot of students at our school who have drinking parties. The concern was that they would opt out to go to these parties instead of participating in Project Grad." Project Grad is sponsored by the Community Drug and Alcohol Council. Area businesses and citizens unselfishly donate money, food and volunteer time to support the event. Brown said about $20,000 has been raised this year, much of which goes to rent a venue and hire entertainment. Gulf Breeze seniors pay $20 each for a ticket. Brown said the event reciprocates with almost $120 per student in entertainment value. "Believe me, the kids get their money's worth," she said. The destination for Project Grad is kept secret for security reasons, to prevent students from other schools from crashing the party and to keep GBHS students from stashing alcohol or drugs at the site beforehand. Some people question whether the secrecy cuts down on interest in the event. "I have wavered back and forth on whether the grads should or should not know (the location)," Brown said. "There are good reasons on both sides of the argument. The Project Grad Committee voted overwhelmingly that they would rather keep it a mystery tour." Brown said about 50 volunteers have signed up to assist with the event. Two police school resource officers will travel with the students, and the Gulf Breeze Police Department drug dog will screen all students and volunteers prior to leaving the high school. The grads will return to GBHS by 5 a.m. Tuesday so buses can begin their daily routes, since school still will be in session for underclassmen, middle and elementary students. Brown said any GBHS student who has yet to purchase a Project Grad ticket can do so by contacting her at 932-7017. "I don't want anybody who wants to go to not be able to attend," she said. "I just want them all to come and enjoy themselves safely." |
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