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Introduction:
The term “Project Graduation” originated in Maine in 1980
at Oxford Hills High School in response to the tragic alcohol-related
deaths of seven teenagers in the graduation season of 1979. The premise
of Project Graduation was and is that graduation night is a time of
high energy and celebrations should be fun, not fatal. For that first
“Project Graduation” parents, students, the community, and
the school joined together to organize a chemical-free celebration for
all graduating seniors. By 1982 the concept of a chemical-free graduation
celebration had spread to thirty-six Maine high schools. In 1986 after
Maine's Project Graduation was featured in the Journal of the American
Medical Association, Project Graduation was held in all 50 United States,
and 139 high schools in Maine (97%) participated.
Purpose:
Project Graduation is an all-night, chaperoned, chemical-free celebration
for all seniors on graduation night, separate from a class trip. The
dual purposes of Project Graduation are fun and safety, and it is the
last organized opportunity for seniors to celebrate and interact as
a class.
Participation
The goal is for 100% of all seniors who have met the graduation requirements
to attend the Project Graduation celebration. No student will be excluded
from the Project Graduation event for financial reasons.
A successful Project Graduation requires the participation of all seniors
and their parents or guardians throughout the year in the various fund-raising
activities.
Project
Graduation Event
The Project Graduation event will commence on the evening of the graduation
ceremony and will focus on activities that provide for whole-class interaction
and be accessible to all students in the class. Each year the Project
Graduation Committee will select the event for its graduating class
and raise the funds to pay for it.
Organizational
Structure
The principal will appoint a parent (Chair), a faculty liaison (Assistant
Chair), and a student representative to lead Project Graduation. These
people, along with the Class Council and parent volunteers, will make
up the Project Graduation Committee. The Project Graduation Committee
will meet regularly at least once a month at a time and place to be
determined by the committee.
The Project Graduation Committee may designate subcommittees for specific
fundraising events or other special duties. The subcommittees will report
its recommendations and actions to the Project Graduation Committee.
Leadership
Responsibilities
- The Chair will
- facilitate all meetings, and coordinate all official activities,
correspondence, solicitations, and contractual obligations,
- organize and designate responsibility to various parent and student
committees,
- designate a treasurer to ensure that all funds are secure and
turned over to the school book keeper,
- designate a clerk to ensure that operating records and information
relative to all Project Graduation activities are maintained and
turned over to the principal at the end of the year.
- in concert with the Faculty Liaison and Principal, select chaperones
based on needs and school policies.
- The Faculty Liaison will
- provide a flow of information between the students, parents and
administration,
- seek approval for all activities with administration.
- The Student Representative will
- attend all meetings of the Project Graduation committee,
- inform classmates of all Project Graduation activities, help
ensure that all activities have student participation.
- Mt. Ararat High School Administration will
- review and approve all activities and fund raisers,
- provide an adequate space at school for meetings,
- assist with communication and correspondence,
- provide time and space for occasional meetings during school hours,
- enforce rules and regulations of Project Graduation,
- appoint a Parent Chairperson, Faculty Liaison and Student Representative,
- provide book keeping/banking services and process money through
the school book keeper,
- provide a school appointed representative and/or School Resource
Officer to attend the Project Graduation event.
Policies
and Procedures
- A Project Graduation event proposal must be submitted to the principal
no later than February 1.
- Students must register to participate in Project Graduation and
sign a pledge to be chemical-free during the Project Graduation event.
- The event will commence on the evening of the graduation ceremony.
- All events in any way associated with Project Graduation will be
drug and alcohol free. Any student who consumes, possesses, distributes,
or is under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs at the Project
Graduation event, will be turned over to local authorities and be
sent home at parents’ expense.
- All students will travel to and from the Project Graduation event
on the buses provided. There are no exceptions to this policy.
- All students must submit completed permission and liability forms
which may be required by the school and/or by the Project Graduation
Committee.
- The school reserves the right to search baggage, purses, and personal
items before and during the trip. This will be supervised by the School
Resource Officer or a designated law enforcement officer.
- Any student with special needs, medications, conditions, etc. must
discuss this privately with the Faculty Liaison to ensure that provisions
can be made to meet the student’s needs. Students privacy rights
will be respected.
- The Chair or a designated adult will be responsible for the supervision
of money at all fund raising activities. Funds will be turned over
to the school book keeper in a timely manner.
- All issues that may arise in the future relative to Project Graduation
will be resolved jointly by the Parent Chair, Faculty Liaison, Student
Representative and Principal.
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