Project Graduation is a program designed to give Fair Grove seniors a safe place to go and enjoy themselves on graduation night. This year, Fair Grove’s Project Grad will be held at the YMCA in downtown Springfield following the graduation ceremony. For this to be possible, Fair Grove seniors and their parents are needed to volunteer their time to help raise money. Gayle Wilson, the chairperson of Project Grad, explains, “ Our goal is $15,000. They raised $25,000 for last years Project Graduation so we’re going to shoot our goal for $15,000 and maybe do as well as they did.” Throughout the school year, Project Grad will put on multiple fundraising events in hopes to meet their goal.

     On October 1st, 2016 Project Grad will have a car show in the high school parking lot from 11 A.M. to 2 P.M. The student that is charge of the car show is senior Dylan Bates. “Registering for car shows is simple,” Dylan says,” On the day of the car show up with your car or truck that you want to enter and you will pick a vehicle class and pay your 15 dollar entry fee.” There is no admission fee, however there is a $15 registration fee for anyone entering a vehicle into the show. All vehicles are welcome and need to be at the high school by 10 A.M. to register. Dylan notes,” To help with the car show we need seniors to participate and show up to vote on cars.”  Dylan also added,” We will have a bake sale going on at the same time that we will need seniors to help with.”

     The 2nd Annual Fair Grove Project Graduation 5k Run will be held Saturday,October 29th at the high school. This year’s theme is Goblin Gallop, and competitors are encouraged to run in their Halloween costumes. Ryan Burks, a senior at Fair Grove high school, notes, “ There are flyers being sent out to pre register for the 5k or you can also register on race day. Pre registration costs $20, but race day registration is an additional $5.” Race day registration and package pick-up is from 8 A.M.- 8:45 A.M. and the race begins at 9 A.M. There will be overall and division awards handed out following the race, as well as a best costume award.  

     The Fair Grove senior that is in charge of running the Project Grad cherry limeade stand is Leah Wahlquist. Leah explains, “I’m in charge of buying the supplies in order to make the drinks, setting up and taking down the stand before and after games, and scheduling workers to run the attend (the limeade stand) at the games.” The limeade stand is one of Project Grad’s main fundraisers throughout the school year, but it cannot be open without members of the senior class volunteering their time to work. To sign up to work the limeade stand, Leah notes, “ I post the dates and times that I’ll need workers on the Project Grad Facebook page and People comment on the posts to let me know when they would like to work.” There is also a printed version of the schedule at the meeting each month.  The limeade stand is open at every home volleyball and football game, and will be open at every home girls’ and boys’ basketball game, so long as a senior and parent of a senior volunteer to work.”

     Project Graduation meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 6:30 P.M. in the high school library. Parents and seniors are encouraged to attend each meeting to assist in planning and to gain further information about upcoming Project Grad events. Dates and times of events, new information on anything Project Grad related, as well as volunteering opportunities are all posted on the Facebook page, Project Grad 2017.