Hollister
– With only six weeks to go until graduation, Sober Grad Night
volunteers are scrambling to ensure that San Benito High School
seniors will have a night to remember – sans the drinking, drugs
and other dangerous behaviors that often accompany graduation
celebrations.
Hollister – With only six weeks to go until graduation, Sober Grad Night volunteers are scrambling to ensure that San Benito High School seniors will have a night to remember – sans the drinking, drugs and other dangerous behaviors that often accompany graduation celebrations.
“The community is really stepping up and helping us out, this has become a really big project for everybody,” said Marci Huston, event co-chair.
Sober Grad Night is an SBHS tradition that keeps graduates away from house parties where drugs and alcohol may be present and off the roads on a night when drunk drivers pose a threat to kids just trying to have a good time.
“I cannot emphasize how important it is for our sober graduates to have the choice to attend a fun party without the influence of alcohol on their big night,” said SBHS Superintendent Jean Burns Slater.
Sober students are admitted free of charge and remain until 4am unless their parents pick them up earlier, and are provided with food, games, dancing and prizes until the break of dawn.
“I met a kid over the weekend who told me that a lot of kids say Sober Grad Night isn’t cool, but deep down they really want to go,” said Huston.
To combat that sentiment, Huston will be meeting with SBHS students representing various “cliques” and student subcultures, to determine how to make the event appeal to students with different interests.
Each year Sober Grad Night costs between $15,000 and $18,000 to put on, even after local businesses donate thousands of dollars in food and prizes. The Sober Grad Night Committee has succeeded in raising $14,000 since February for a total of $16,000 so far.
“What we really need right now are volunteers,” said Huston. “Especially people willing to run the early morning shift and clean up.”
Over 30 local businesses and residents have donated goods or money to Sober Grad Night. The Cattleman’s Association is providing tri-tip for each student, Jerry’s is providing pancakes and Cedar Valley Shingles is providing bicycles as raffle prizes from Off the Chain Bikes, for example.
“It’s great that these kids will have a festive way to get together,” said Janna Clark, General Manager at Cedar Valley Shingles. “We hope there will be an atmosphere where they’re supported by local vendors so that they know that they’re important to the community. It’s that cozy self-esteem feeling.”
The Sober Grad Committee will be holding one last big fundraiser June 3, with a car wash in the Gold’s Gym Parking lot.
“When we can bring in more organizations from the community, it gives us some added credibility as well as support,” said Huston.
To donate or volunteer for Sober Grad Night call 831-801-6049
