Project Graduation Ends School Years On High Note

Graduating seniors from Acton-Boxborough Regional High School ended their high school experience in style, with some 400 of them celebrating into the wee hours of Friday night and early Saturday morning at Project Graduation, the all-night event that transforms the school into a fun-filled party for the new graduates.

Now in its 23^rd year, Project Graduation gave students a chance to cut loose in a way that’s “practically guaranteed to be fun for them” with an evening designed to “keep them busy, keep them entertained, and keep them in a safe place,” said Cheryl Beaudoin, event co-chair.

Acton Police Detective Keith Campbell, the youth services officer for the Acton Public Schools, attends Project Graduation every year and said while the event wasn’t originally “born of a specific tragedy,” its beginning came about in part because of graduation-night incidents of teen drinking in the area. Project Graduation volunteers ensure the event is alcohol free and safe by checking bags and guarding exits to keep kids in the school, efforts Campbell said “practically eliminate” the possibility for drinking-related incidents.

But while vigilance about safety remains a strong component to the evening, Campbell said the emphasis of the night has become “really more about the fun” over time.

“In the beginning, kids probably went because felt they had to,” said Campbell. “Now, they go because they really want to.”

And it was easy to see why. This year’s theme of “too much fun”—kept secret from the students until they arrived—lent itself to a wide array of activities and attractions, including a circus-themed room with a photo booth, cotton candy stand and live trivia; the ever-popular casino room; and the “challenges room,” which this year featured air hockey, table tennis and a mechanical bull.

Lining the hallways en route to the themed rooms were other party-themed attractions that included “Halloween hall,” decorated accordingly and featuring henna tattoos, an antique photo booth station, a chocolate fountain, artists drawing student caricatures, and more.

Some events gave students the chance to earn prizes, including dorm refrigerators, baskets of college supplies, gift cards and more, all donated by local businesses or community members, said Beaudoin. Overall funding for the event is also largely achieved through local business donations and via events like a recent Roche Bros. fundraiser and , as well as parent donations and the students’ $15 ticket price.

Students reacted with delight at their school’s transformation, saying things like, “This is crazy!” and “It’s like a real casino in there!” as they took it all in.

“It’s cooler than I expected. It was hard to know what it would be like, but they’ve totally transformed the space,” said Caroline Klinkmueller, shortly after arriving with friends Kate Barach and Julia Migner.

“It looks so good. I’ve never seen the school looking anything like this,” agreed Daniel Hoadley, one of two seniors who had delivered graduation speeches a few hours earlier.

Organizers rely on some 250 parent volunteers, all from classes other than the current graduating one, to participate in all aspects of planning and manning the event, said Beaudoin.

“The philosophy is, it’s (parents of graduating seniors’) night to relax and know their kids are safe,” Beaudoin said of the longtime tradition of using parents from other classes.

Many volunteers were on hand to help with serving food, while others took part in signing students in, guarding doors and facilitating games in the casino. One such volunteer, Tamara Dukes, said the event gave her and her husband Tom a chance to participate in something meaningful at a place that she said has given a lot to her family over the years.

“This school has been unbelievable in meeting both my boys’ needs,” said Dukes, who has a son in the school’s Occupational Development Program (ODP). “It’s been amazing, and we’re here because we wanted the chance to give back.”

Another volunteer, John Upham, said his kids have long graduated from ABRHS but that he continues volunteering in the casino year after year “for the fun of it.”

“It’s a safe place for them and they have a blast hanging out with their friends,” said Upham. “It gives them a great transition into the start of their summer.”

And all the hard work that goes into making sure the graduates have a fun sendoff was not lost on the recipients of those efforts.

“They’re always so excited and appreciative,” said Beaudoin. “We’re all tired the next day, but it’s worth it.”

Author's note: Some photos are courtesy of Jodi Phelan. Student identification in those photos is courtesy of Daniel Hoadley.