2024 After-Prom and Graduation Grant Recipients
Congratulations to the 2024 Herren Project After-Prom & Graduation Grant Recipients! Herren Project is pleased to offer each of the following schools a grant ranging from $500-$1,000 to help cover the costs of after-prom and after-graduation parties that encourage healthy choices and inspire substance-free fun. Herren Project is happy to support our winners in their efforts to provide a safe environment for their event attendees.
This year’s Herren Project After-Prom & Graduation Grant Award Recipients:
Gunnison High School
Gunnison High School in Gunnison, Colorado serves approximately 392 students in grades 9-12. The Class of 2024 has just under 100 students. GHS proudly boasts a graduation rate of 90-94% of all students. Several years ago, their small community mourned the loss of a senior who died in an alcohol-related driving accident after just graduating from high school. It was more apparent than ever that their community needed a way to provide engaging social activities for graduating seniors to celebrate each other, their achievements, and the beginning of a new chapter in a drug and alcohol-free environment.
They will have a western theme, as it requires little expenditure given the setting of the ranch. WCU students and graduates are hired to chaperone Project Grad. They will collaborate with local youth agencies to ensure our chaperones are trained and understand our mission. Herren Project is proud to award Gunnison High School a grant in the amount of $1000.
Herkimer High School
Herkimer Central School District educates approximately 1,050 students. The mission of the Herkimer Central School District is to successfully carry out the educational tenets of our philosophy by providing an atmosphere conducive to learning that is at once both challenging and secure. They offer a diversified program that offers curricular and extracurricular activities and encourages productive use of leisure time.
The Herkimer Jr/Sr. High School After Prom Lock-In Committee is well underway in its planning for the after-prom event. The event is held at the school immediately following the prom. All seniors can attend even if they do not attend the prom. The original idea for a “lock-in” came about with the class of 1992 and the inception of the Drug-Free Schools Program. Various groups, organizations, and parents join the school in an effort to educate students about drug and alcohol-free ways to have fun. An invitation is extended to all seniors and their dates providing a contract is signed by the students and their parents stating that they will not partake in any drugs or alcohol during the evening. Then the fun begins! Herren Project is proud to award the Herkimer High School a grant in the amount of $750.
Hidden Valley High School
The Hidden Valley High School Class of 2024 consists of just over 100 students in a rural area of Southern Oregon. The students at Hidden Valley High School are lucky to have a small group of parents who want to provide a safe and sober way for their graduating seniors to celebrate this accomplishment with friends and classmates. The goal is to provide a party that is so appealing that they will want to celebrate their big night in a safe and sober atmosphere instead of creating their own parties, which, if fueled by alcohol or drugs, could end in tragedy. They have reserved the Family Fun Center for the night of graduation. The parents will be there as chaperones. In order to participate in the event, the students are required to be bused in and out. They have busing set up for pick up at the school after graduation and returning after the event is over the next morning. This ensures that the students remain within the supervised activity throughout the night.
This has been a very well-received event in the past, with attendance of around 95% of the graduating class. With COVID, this event came to an end for several years. Parents made great efforts to reinstate it last year; however, funding limited their ability to go all out. They have been working hard for several months already, gathering donations, and fundraising as they really want this to be an event that the kids will choose over other less-safe options. They want to show them how proud they are of their accomplishments and make it a night to remember. Herren Project is proud to award Hidden Valley High School a grant of $500.
To learn more about other scholarships and grants Herren Project offers for youth, check out: https://herrenproject.org/scholarships-grants/
