For the first time since 2019, Project Graduation will be held for Odessa and Permian high school students.
The all-night gathering, to be held at the Odessa College Sports Center, provides a safe way for students to celebrate their accomplishments.
The Permian celebration starts an hour after graduation May 27 and the OHS edition is May 28. Both will last from about 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. and students are locked in the whole time.
Jayni Whitefield is the chairperson for Permian and Michelle Herrera is the chair for Odessa High School.
Whitefield and Herrera said they expect about 350 students at each gathering.
“We’re going to have food. We’re going to have inflatables. We’re going to have games, so they can win prizes throughout the night. And we’re going to have raffle drawings throughout the night. … There are college scholarships. There is stuff we’re putting together for that they can use at college like goodie baskets and stuff like that,” Whitefield said.
Herrera said it’s also a time for students to come together for the last time before they go off to school and start their lives.
“But we encourage our students to be here because it is a drug and alcohol safe free zone for them to be. We have so much that we have to offer them and that’s why we’re reaching out to the community because we need as many donations as possible so that this can be possible for our students. …,” Herrera said.
Whitefield said Project Graduation started about 30 years ago in Maine.
“What had happened was about 18 students between two graduation seasons had died due to alcohol-related incidents during their graduations, so I think it’s a great thing to have them come, like Michelle said, to celebrate one last time together in a safe, drug and alcohol-free environment. Because let’s face it … if they’re not here, who knows what they’re going to do,” Whitefield said.
Both Whitefield and Herrera are new to Project Graduation and they haven’t had much time to prepare, but they do have the help of Chaquisha Dawson at OHS. She is a veteran of Project Graduations.
Dawson said they weren’t sure if they were going to have the event this year because of COVID, so the planning time has been about five weeks instead of three months.
Whitefield said they will get set up for Permian that Friday and help OHS get ready on Saturday.
“It’s kind of nice. We’re piggybacking off each other to make sure it’s an equal and joyous event for both schools,” Whitefield said.
They have told students to be at the Sports Center an hour after graduation and wear comfortable clothing.
Herrera said her son went to Project Graduation in 2018 and had a wonderful time.
“But it also gave me and my husband an opportunity to be at peace about the night beast we could rest knowing that our son was in an environment where he was safe …,” Herrera said.
This year, Herrera said her family will be at Project Graduation helping out, as will Dawson’s.
Whitefield, who has been in the Permian Basin for many years, said they don’t have family here, but her stepdaughter, who is a senior, transferred in this year from Missouri.
“I remember when I went through high school a long time ago I did Project Grad there and I loved it. Participating in it as the student, it was so much fun with my friends and that’s what I told her. …,” Whitefield said.
With this being the first Project Graduation in several years, Whitefield said she was intimidated and nervous.
“I think our biggest concern is community donations because it’s been stagnant,” she said. “And those community donations are what make our event successful. I think that is our biggest challenge is getting back out there and introducing this to the community …,” Whitefield added.
They have had success in gathering donations. Herrera said Market Street has donated a $1,000 gift card for OHS and PHS to be able to ship for food and snacks for the night.
Medical Center Hospital and Odessa Regional Medical Center have contributed, as has the Dollar Store Warehouse gave pallets of items for college dorm goodie baskets. A couple of companies have given pallets of water.
If people can’t donate monetarily, they can give of their time. Whitefield said there are four two-hour shifts and they are broken up into categories like inflatables, casino, Bingo, helping with the food or the raffles.
“We’re donating our time because this means a lot to us and to be able to bring this tradition back in, this is something that is just so meaningful to these kids; these graduates,” Herrera said.
Dawson said people don’t realize what it takes to put on Project Graduation until they see it.
“… But at the end of it when you see the result of a kid walking out with … a TV or something. They’re just happy,” she said.
For some students, it’s just the chance to spend this last time with their friends.
“It’s a big thing. It’s like the closing of a high school chapter,” Dawson said.
