From a dessert bar to a professional DJ and surprise entertainment event, this year’s Grad Night Party, held from June 6-7, will be a night worth remembering for the graduating class, GNP co-chair Nanette Jackson said. The party also serves as a senior-exclusive alternative to this year’s joint junior-senior prom, Jackson said.
“It’s the final get-together before [the seniors] leave for various things, and they can probably make new friends as well,” Jackson said. “Basically, it’s a night of celebration for them.”
The GNP draws inspiration from the non-profit organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The aim of the party is to create a safe and sober environment for students to celebrate after the graduation ceremony, Jackson said.
“The main thing is to make it safe for the kids to continue celebrating after they graduate, without [being too controlling],” Jackson said. “They’re still our babies after they graduate, even though a lot of them turn 18. It’s just a safe environment for them to continue feeling the vibe from the graduation ceremony.”
The night-long party, which will be held indoors at an undisclosed, off-campus location, will have a theme surrounding Mardi Gras, Jackson said. Among the many activities available are photo booths, casino tables and competitive games, as well as plenty of food and refreshments, Jackson added.
Senior Ethan Lee said he plans to attend this year’s GNP, as his friends will also be attending the event.
“I want to see my friends [at the party], and I’m looking forward to all the snacks since I remember from the Winter Formal that they had a whole snack booth,” Lee said.
The biggest challenge for the GNP organizers, however, was keeping the ticket prices reasonable, considering the roughly $80,000 – 85,000 price tag of the event, Jackson said. The primary sources of funding for the GNP include ticket sales, donations, sponsorships and fundraisers. For example, the making of Memory Boards for seniors is one of the fundraisers used to generate money for the event, Jackson said.
“Each year it gets harder because [of] inflation,” Jackson said. “We try to keep the ticket prices not too high, but we had to raise it this year from last year. That’s why we had a bunch of different fundraisers going on… to try to keep everything fair.”
Parents interested in helping out the GNP organizers can sponsor a specific party activity, like the soft drink bar, or donate to the scholarship fund for students who cannot afford to pay the full ticket price, Jackson said. Volunteers are also very much needed, Jackson said.
“I know a lot of seniors don’t want to see their parents chaperone at the event, so… we’re pleading with freshmen, sophomore and junior parents to come and help out,” Jackson said. “I have a few signed up so far, but if we could get more that would be great. We also need about 100 parents on the night of the party, not as chaperones, but just at the school checking in on the kids and doing a security check.”
Despite the fact that she said attending the party can be expensive, former HHS student Adrienne Lum said she enjoyed last year’s GNP, especially the casino tables and caricature drawings.
“There were a lot of fun activities, and it was a great end-of-the-year [event] for everyone,” Lum said. “I would one hundred percent recommend that people go if they can afford a ticket because it was a really fun time for me.”
