This June 1, when 206 seniors in Niles and Cedar Lane High School graduate, they will get to celebrate with more than tossing their cap to the wind.
For the past 20 years, Niles High School parent volunteers have helped to coordinate Project Graduation, where students spend the night participating in a variety of fun and safe activities following their graduation ceremony.
Several fundraisers throughout the school year help to raise money for Project Graduation, one of the largest being the annual dodgeball tournament.
On Tuesday night, the sixth annual dodge ball tournament was underway in the Niles High School gymnasium.
The cost of admission was $2 and more than 100 people showed up to watch faculty from local schools face off. Those who attended were also invited to play games.
Special guest Brandon McKnight, a basketball player from Purdue, also shot hoops with those who attended.
Darla Schneider, the district parent volunteer coordinator, announced Wednesday that the event was able to raise $1,400.
Schneider has helped with Project Graduation for the past six years.
“The whole purpose is so kids can celebrate in a safe environment,” Schneider said. “They have the best time.”
The dodge ball tournament is one of Schneider’s favorite fundraising events, she said.
“All of our staff gets teams together and they come out and compete and our families come together,” Schneider said.
Students also get to see their teachers outside of the classroom having fun.
“They will talk about this the rest of the week,” Schneider said.
One such faculty member was Trevonda Goins, the assistant principal at Howard-Ellis. The team wore yellow T-shirts and high fived after completing a game.
For Goins, participating in the tournament is a fun way to raise money for Project Graduation.
“What better way to do it than to have fun?” Goins said.
The locations and event details of Project Graduation remain top secret until graduation night, but the evening’s festivities always end at the Howard Township Fire Department, where firefighters fix a breakfast for graduates. At 6 a.m., the events conclude and students are dropped off at Niles High School.
Last year, students went to the Compton Ice Arena in South Bend, a theater and the Kroc center, where there were multiple activities planned in the gym, among many planned festivities.
“We want it to be a big celebration,” Schneider said. “They worked hard for so many years and we want a safe environment. It is really great. We get a lot of support.”