Celebrating Graduation the Alcohol and Drug-Free Way

My teenage son is graduating from high school this week.  Wow, where did the time go?  Seems like only yesterday he was starting grade school.  While my husband and I are scratching our heads, our son is chomping at the bit to start the next chapter in his life.  First, however, there’s a ceremony to attend (that one’s for mom and dad and the grandparents) followed by a night of celebration with classmates (more to his liking).

His high school, like so many others in New Jersey and nationwide, hosts Project Graduation (PG).  First conducted at Oxford Hills High School in Maine in 1980 following the deaths of seven students due to alcohol and drug-related car crashes, PG is an alcohol and drug-free post-graduation celebration that’s held in-lieu of student-run events.  Typically, PG lasts through the night and is held at a hotel or event center with the location kept a secret until that evening.

While there’s no mandate to attend and often a cost to participate, the vast  majority of seniors wouldn’t miss it.  (I should add that PG doesn’t come cheap; many parents and students spend a year or more funding raising so that the student fee is kept low or in some cases free).  While all school-related functions are supposed to be chemical-free, what makes PG different is the attitude of the students.  They’ve made a conscious decision to enjoy their graduation night without alcohol or other drugs.  And, no other age group, including parents and school personnel, can make that decision for them.

I’m thrilled my son will be participating in Project Graduation and commend not only his classmates, but teens everywhere who are opting to celebrate this milestone the alcohol and drug-free way.  When I graduated from high school more years ago than I care to remember, drinking was the norm as well as reports of alcohol-related teen driving crashes, some involving fatalities, during commencement season.  Nearly four decades later, however, teen-driving deaths due to alcohol have dropped significantly with PG communities across the nation reporting zero fatalities due to drinking, drugging and driving.

As Leader of the New Jersey Teen Safe Driving Coalition, I’m a huge fan of PG.  But I know that staying vigilante with teens about alcohol and drugs not just during graduation season, but year-round is essential.  A recent MADD analysis  found that 32 percent of all deaths related to underage drinking were traffic fatalities and 68 percent were other fatal incidents including homicides (30 percent), suicides (14 percent), alcohol poisoning (9 percent), and other causes (15 percent).

Taking away the keys is critical, but it doesn’t take away all of the risks.  As parents, it’s incumbent upon us to have an ongoing dialogue with our teens about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.  Despite what we might think, we have the biggest influence on our teens’ decisions about these substances.

If your teen is celebrating his or her graduation the PG-way, I urge you to applaud that decision.  And once the event has passed, remember that summer offers our teens plenty of additional opportunities to gather with their friends. Keep the conversation going, stay engaged.  They really are listening.