<p>Schools in my district spend about $70,000 for senior graduation night. Large part of the money comes from PTA membership fee. Do you think this is appropriate?</p>
<p>What is the money spent on?</p>
<p>In our district, most of it is spent on renting a large-enough facility. It’s hard to see an alternative to that unless you’re willing to risk having graduation outdoors and crossing your fingers about the weather.</p>
<p>The money is spent not for graduation ceremony (performed under the sunlight of the day) but for the party at night in school (with the reason to help kids from having alcohol).</p>
<p>Parents at my school had multiple fundraisers and solicitations to raise money for the after graduation no-alcohol party. This is not a wealthy community, but the organizers got the money they needed from businesses and individuals.</p>
<p>I suspect that the PTA could vote not to contribute money to this event if they didn’t believe it was worthwhile. But perhaps they do feel it is a good idea.</p>
<p>In our district, there is no organized after-graduation event. However, parent groups do spend a great deal of money (and time and effort) running after-prom parties designed to provide an alcohol-free celebration. They clearly feel that this is worthwhile.</p>
<p>Our budget is not quite that high, as I recall. But we also fundraise and have a suggested donation by each family (that is one part of the fundraising). It is optional, but most contribute. Some contribute double, knowing that other families will not be able. Other fundraisers include all the usual suspects (selling calendars, etc. etc.).</p>
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<p>Our school budget for the after graduation/substance free party isn’t that high. BUT do I think it’s worth it…YES!! Both of my kids said that better than 97% of their senior classes attended the event. It was the “last time” they would all be together and the evening was a memory they won’t ever forget. Each student got a “door prize” and there were prizes for some of the events as well. Tons of food, a breakfast in the morning, transportation, decorations. Yes…well worth it. I wish they had enough money to do a substance free event after the senior prom…it sure would cut down on all of the underage drinking that happens after THAT event. Yes…this event is well worth whatever it costs to put it on in your town.</p>
<p>We’ve lost no one so far in this grad season, and I believe that last night was our last graduation. The local Yacht Club hosts the after grad events for each high school as a their major contribution to the community. Parents, student fund raisers and other community organizations contribute to provide the food and low key entertainment. I doubt if it runs $70K, but even if it does, I believe it would be well worth no matter what the price. We lost three adults this past weekend in our small community and one more was critically injured, all in the very early hours of the morning I am very happy that our kids were not on the roads with the two intoxicated drivers, and the one that apparently fell asleep at the wheel.</p>
<p>The high school my children attended was kind of a two schools in one scenario. It had the highest percentage of kids qualified for free/reduced lunch in our end of the state, but also offered the largest number of AP classes and had the graduates from that end of the spectrum going to the most impressive colleges. Project Graduation is a huge deal there for several reasons. First, as mentioned previously, it provides a non-alcoholic environment for the class to spend their last moments together. Additionally, the door prizes are good to great, depending on your luck. For some of the low income kids, the $40 cash guaranteed to every graduate attending and the prizes won (better than 50% get an additional prize ranging from an alarm clock to a television or MP3 player) is often the most significant gift received. Also, the word of mouth about this event among underclassmen serves as an incentive for students to make it to the finish line. I don’t think the budget approaches anywhere near $70,000, but the contributions by parents, civic clubs, local businesses, etc. are much appreciated for what they do to keep these kids safe.</p>
<p>Post #8: “I doubt if it runs $70K, but even if it does, I believe it would be well worth no matter what the price.”</p>
<p>Yes, this $70 K bothers me. I did not have any HS graduation party. When I graduated from a UC college, my classmates and I only sipped some apple cider and parted away. I did not even pay to get my photo (only kept the small sample the company sent me). Graduation is an achievement, but is it worth to have a big spending? I donate money to my kid’s school to support EC activities but I don’t see many generous parents in these areas. But they are big spenders in graduation party! I guess it may be just only me. Using PTA fees from 9th-12th grade parents for graduation party is lame.</p>
<p>No, coolweather, it’s not “only you” who finds this a misapplication of attention. You are saying that you’d rather see the money go towards EC’s or something related to the academic program during the HS years. We really have gone way overboard, IMHO, to spend money to protect ourselves from our inability to teach kids not to drink at after-parties.
I’m impressed at our school’s PTA and teachers working hard on the post-prom non-alcoholic event. But again, the judgement! It’s located in a big arena downtown, so the kids have to drive 40 minutes at night, just to get to it. The school building wasn’t “good” enough; or boring; or IDK. So they’ll rent limos because what senior wants his mom driving him on prom night? I think they[‘re safer in a limo than in each others’ cars. I’m sorry but I don’t know how to cope nicely with this week’s request for $90 to pay for my S’s share of the limo, and his date’s…, on top of all the other prom expenses (and we’re lucky; dad owns a tux)==all so they can get to the “non-alcoholic fun event downtown.” I wish I had gone to these meetings and said something, but I’d have been over-ridden. Nobody thinks like I do, and I’m 15-20 years older than many of the parents now. So, no you’re not alone in your thoughts.</p>
<p>Our school has a Project Graduation. The school itself doesn’t pay for it. There is no PTA and so it doesn’t come from gr. 9-12 parents. There is a parent committee that runs Project Graduation and all the fundraising for that. The money is raised through fundraising, local businesses and I think all students pay something to attend but I can’t recall that last piece. The idea to make it attractive so that the majority attend and that it is substance free is a great idea, in my opinion. It is an all night event/excursion. The graduation is during the daytime.</p>
<p>I cross posted with paying3tuitions but her case is not like here. Here the students either do not pay for Project Graduation, or if they do, it is not a lot. Also, it starts at the school, so that is as far as you have to drive. Then they use transportation to take everyone to the Project Graduation sites. There are no limos and big expenses to go to Project Graduation.</p>
<p>Our local high school has ‘the great escape’ - an after graduation party which is very well supported by local businesses and is well attended by the graduating seniors. My son, who tended to be rather anti social in high school (boy how people change), attended and had a blast. Same set up as a previous poster mentioned with prizes ranging from gift certificates to televisions and computers. It is a great way for the whole class to hang out together for one last time. My daughter went to our State science and Math school where they do not have an event after graduation though parents/family have come from all over the state - everyone basically scatters after the graduation ceremony which was a little sad.</p>
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<p>Ours is probably worth it because every year until the county came up with the idea, there was at least one and usually more fatalities every year on graduation night. Since the concept was started about ten years ago, not one death on graduation nights. </p>
<p>But anyway I’m sure my district spends more than $70,000 with 25 high schools. However there are senior class dues and we pay a fee for the grad party, although it is subsidized.</p>
<p>Our town has project grad - typically costs $22,000 for 170 graduates. All night party - lock in - parents called if you want to leave. 90% of class attends and there have been no fatalities since it has been offered. The rub is that the parents have to raise all the money with the parents of the class officiers expected to lead the fund raisers. Typically, about 10 parents do the lion’s share of the work.</p>
<p>No fatalities is huge, so maybe it is worth it. I’ll rethink this one.</p>
<p>Our school also had an all-night “Pro-Grad” party. It was substance free, with transportation provided. it was held at one of those indoor entertainment complexes, and everything there was free for the night. There were prizes for all, and lots of things to do. The kids really look forward to this last time together. It was subsidized by local businesses, senior fundraising, and modest ticket prices. If you helped with the fundraising, your ticket cost less than than if you did not. The biggest fundraiser is called “Senior Serve”. It is a catered dinner where seniors get together to decorate and serve at theme based tables. Parents and friends buy tickets. The food is donated.</p>
<p>Our county has project graduation, which is free for graduates. There are three high schools in the county and the money is raised by fundraising. A local car dealer, who is responsible for starting our project graduation, provides a new car each year to be raffled off. The tickets cost $50 or $100-this is probably one of the biggest fundraisers they have. They raise thousands of dollars. Each high school has their graduation at 7o’clock that evening, then projection graduation is at a local community college from 10 P.M. until 4 A.M. They have tons of food (donated by local businesses), games that tickets can be won for prizes (a lot of the prizes are items that can be used for college), and lots of inflatables set up. Every hour they give prizes away and you have to be present to win. The prizes consist of flat-panel tvs, laptops, ipods, cash, and a lot of other items. They give the large cash prizes at 4 A.M. (you have to be present) and it is $1,000 cash to 2 or 3 people. The kids all love to go to this and they can bring one guest for $5.</p>
<p>Most of the schools I’m familiar with have big school/PTA/community sponsored post-prom activities. I don’t know anyone who has an after-graduation celebration.</p>
<p>Our school does a Grad Night thing as well, it is through fundraising, and tickets, but if you can’t afford, no problem</p>
<p>The $ I forked over were well worth it</p>
<p>What is nice about is some kids families can’t have a party for a variety of reasons, private parties can cost way more than the ticket price, and it stops all those competing parties that night so that kids aren’t moving from place to place, and all the difficulties that come from that</p>