What is Project Graduation?
Project Graduation is a nationally recognized alcohol and drug free party designed to give high school graduates a safe alternative to celebrating their special night. Statistics have shown that students celebrating on the evening of graduation can experience one of the most dangerous nights of their young lives. Each year, immediately following their graduation ceremonies, Amphitheater High School, Canyon Del Oro High School, and Ironwood Ridge High School hold a Project Graduation event on their individual campuses until 5:00 am the next morning. The graduates are fed, entertained, and given the chance to win a grand prize for staying all night. This is an all volunteer run and organized event that benefits our school, our children and our community.
Our Goal:
Is to keep our community incident free by providing a fun, safe place for these graduates.
Organization Description and Mission Statement
Project Graduation is an alcohol and drug free all-night graduation celebration for high school seniors and is modeled after the National Grad Night Network established by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The mission of Project Graduation is to save young lives by providing safe and sober graduation night celebrations at each of the Amphitheater School District’s high school campuses on their respective graduation nights.
Program Description
According to the Tucson/Pima County Commission on Addiction and Prevention (September 17, 2004), teenagers in Pima County start drinking at a
younger age and at a higher rate than their counterparts in the rest of the country. Project Graduation not only protects the lives of our kids, but serves as a model for comprehensive community involvement bringing businesses, community members, and local leaders together to solve a common and potentially serious problem. In addition to providing safe activities for graduates, the entire Amphitheater School District community is safer because graduates are not out drinking and driving, creating dangerous scenarios for all our residents.
In the Amphitheater School District, over 1,200 high school seniors graduate each May from one of three public high schools, Amphitheater, Canyon del Oro and Ironwood Ridge. Law enforcement statistics suggest that graduation night may be the most dangerous night of a teen’s life. In communities where Project Graduation events are conducted, these statistics are lowered. Its success depends upon a strong partnership between parents, law enforcement, local businesses, and school officials.
Criteria for Program Evaluation
Oro Valley Police Chief Daniel G. Sharp enthusiastically endorses Project Graduation and asserts that, “Project Graduation transforms what may be one of the most dangerous nights in Oro Valley each year into one of the best experiences for our graduates. Not only does this ensure safety and security for our graduates, it provides safety and security for our entire community because we don’t have drinking or drugs and people out driving…we have a safe night. In all the years of Project Graduation, we haven’t had one single incident related to graduation in Oro Valley.”
Dr. Stephen Ruffenach offers a unique appraisal of Project Graduation and its impact on our community. Dr. Ruffenach is a physician at Northwest 
Medical Center-Oro Valley, the father of three sons, a Project Graduation volunteer, and a physician who treats young people suffering the consequences of risky behaviors. He says, “There are two spikes, or problems, that come up for the local police force. They occur on prom night and graduation night. Celebrations happen, and all of us know tragedies have occurred, no matter where we are from.” Dr. Ruffenach continued, “You’ll hear reasons like, “Oh, it is a pleasure to work with the children and to give back to the community.” Specifically, we don’t know how many lives are saved because of what we do. We don’t know how many accidents don’t occur because of what we do. We are not aware of how many tragedies, and the ripples that go from those tragedies, are stopped and never occur because of what we do.”
In October, 2007, during a Business Breakfast on behalf of Project Graduation, Dr. Richard Carmona, the 17th Surgeon General of the United States, addressed a room full of business leaders, parents, and high school seniors. Dr. Carmona said, “You have created a safe celebration where students won’t pay with the rest of their lives for bad choices. They can party hardy, get to a university and be mentors for those who come along behind them.”
A direct quote from Dr. Vicki Balentine, Superintendent of the Amphitheater School District declares, “Project Graduation is an integral program at each of our three district high schools. This project serves to unite our parents, staff and entire community towards ensuring the safety of our students on graduation night…a critical endeavor!”
Long-Term Strategy for Sustaining Project Graduation
Project Graduation is praised throughout our communities. Its long term success is dependent upon a strong partnership between business and community leaders, parents, law enforcement, and school officials for fundraising, volunteerism, and logistical support. Continuing to provide this high quality event that values the lives of our youth provides a model of community service for everyone.