Project graduation sees double

By Lynn Atkins

Posted: November 25, 2009 at 6 a.m.

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ROGERS — The biggest night for many American teenagers can also be a dangerous night, but parents in Rogers have been making graduation night safer for years. This year graduates at both Rogers high schools will have a safe, fun way to celebrate their big night.

This will be the first graduating class at Rogers Heritage High School; parents are busy planning their first Project Graduation. Meanwhile, at Rogers High School, another great graduation night is being planned.

“It’s not about the parents, it’s about our young people,” said Jerry Carmichael, the RHS Project Graduation coordinator. He wants to see a safe celebration for students at both schools and he’s happy to help the cross-town rivals.

Carmichael, who is also a member of the Rogers School Board, has good friends and a sister among the planners of Heritage’s Project Graduation.

“We’ll do anything we can to help,” he said. The casino tables that will be used at Friday’s RHS event will move to the RHHS event on Saturday. The two groups have also discussed a joint golf tournament as a fundraiser, Carmichael said.

Rogers High School graduates on Friday, May 21. Their Project Graduation will begin in the commons of the high school around 10 p.m. and then move to the Jones Center for families around 11 p.m.

They return to the school after 4 a.m., Carmichael said.

Heritage High School graduation will be on Saturday, May 22.

Their Project Graduation will be at Fast Lane in Rogers.

Both schools will have a dinner for graduates on their respective campuses and then bus the students to a “lock in” at each venue.

At the Jones Center, graduates can use the swimming pool and the ice rink, as well as the gym and the casino games organized by parents.

Fast Lane has bowling lanes,go karts and laser tag, along with the borrowed casino games. Each committee may add inflatables or other games.

Some of the Heritage parents have older children who graduated from RHS, so they have experience with Project Graduation. They’re using that experience. For example, junior parents at HHS are being recruited to prepare the dinner on graduation night so parents of seniors can attend graduation.

The first step for both committees is to raise money for an overnight party. Both groups are preparing to contact businesses.

It’s difficult in this economy, Carmichael said, when business people consider every donation carefully.

Kerry Stricker, a member of the business donation committee at Heritage, said she expects most businesses will spilt their donation between the two groups.

“We don’t expect them to double what they donated last year,” she said.

Heritage representatives have already collected some in-kind donations that will become prizes at the event, she said. Her committee has both a truck and storage available so volunteers can collect prizes immediately, she said. Some businesses are happy to get donated goods out of the way, sheadded.

Heritage has about 420 seniors this year and Rogers has 395. Both groups are hoping to get all their seniors to their respective Project Graduation.

“If they’re in our care at Project Graduation, they’re safe,” Carmichael said.

News, Pages 1 on 11/25/2009

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