ABRHS Project Graduation 2021

Graduation is fast approaching and Project Graduation wants to make sure it’s a time of celebration and lasting memories for the Class of 2021!

Last year we had to reinvent our 32-year tradition of an all-night substance-free party held on graduation night. Well… looks like we've got to do it again! But the Class of 2021 is ready to shine and seeing the happiness and appreciation on the graduates' faces will be our reward. Please email us at abprojectgraduation@gmail.com to find out how you can help!

We are currently working with school administration to see how we will help support their plans – stay tuned for updates in the Chatter, on our Facebook Page and on Instagram!

Only a Pandemic Could Change the Tradition

In 2020 when COVID-19 caused Graduation and the traditional all-night celebration to be cancelled, Project Graduation supported the ABRHS Administration’s graduation festivities in creative ways:

* The Support-A-Grad program ... Every senior received a gift card and congratulatory note from a community member.

* Gift Bags containing car decorating supplies were given to each senior to ensure that everyone could festively participate in the Rolling Rally.

* The Rolling Rally ... Seniors enjoyed decorating their cars and parading down Rt 111 from the Boxboro Regency to the high school. It was a tremendous display of AB school spirit on an all-important milestone day as the community came out to cheer on the parade!

* Decorations for "Diploma Hill" where Principal Dorey distributed diplomas to the graduates.

* Post Diploma pictures ... After receiving their diplomas, graduates and their families were given the opportunity to have photos taken by local and talented volunteer photographers.

* Banners congratulating the Class of 2020 were hung throughout Acton and Boxboro.

The Project Graduation 2020 efforts were a gigantic collaboration with the ABRHS school administration, PTSO, Acton & Boxboro Police Departments, the Boxboro Regency AND Project Graduation. It's important for the community to know that all those hands were a part of making it happen! We are a very lucky community!

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Our Story

The original Project Graduation was held in Oxford Hills, Maine in 1980, a year after their deadliest commencement season, when 12 teenagers (five in one crash alone) lost their lives to drug and alcohol-related incidents.

In 1989, the parents in Acton and Boxborough Massachusetts held their first Project Graduation celebration at ABRHS to:

  • Provide a memorable, fun and safe celebration for graduating seniors

  • Help prevent our community's young adults from becoming accident statistics

  • Allow parents to rest easy because their children are safely celebrating with peers

  • Help keep our teens safe

We need $ 25,000 and lots of volunteers to throw an all-night party with prizes, food and activities for over 450 graduating seniors. Over the years this has been made possible by generous parent donations, business donations, a small ticket fee, and hundreds of volunteer hours.

There's no telling how many lives are saved by Project Graduation. Please help us make it a success by contributing time or money or both!

Thank you,

Jennifer Mabardy & Jennifer Philion

PG21 Co-Chairs