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06/22/2016 08:30 AMOn June 10, the newly graduated Branford High School (BHS) Class of 2016 celebrated, Hawaiian-style, during another successful, safe, night-into-morning substance-free party at BHS. Once again, volunteer Dawn Perrotti chaired the annual event, which is organized by parent volunteers of BHS Project Graduation and funded with materials and support generated from community businesses, organizations, individuals, and families.
“I’ve always been the type of person that gets involved,” says Dawn, who’s served in past years as PTA president, Girl Scout Leader, and with plenty of school event committees as her three kids progressed through Branford Public Schools (BPS). “If my kids are involved in something, then I’m involved! I want to thank my children for putting up with their mom volunteering all these years.”
Dawn first signed on to assist as a BHS Project Graduation volunteer when her oldest child, Ally (BHS Class of 2010) was a freshman. She’s continued on and grown in her role of supporting the annual project, going on to become chair before her middle child, Stephen (BHS Class of 2013), graduated and then continuing. Dawn will keep leading BHS Project Graduation through her son John’s graduation with the BHS Class of 2017.
So what exactly does it take to put on a safe, substance-free party for more than 200 high school seniors on their graduation night? Money is definitely a requirement, but unlike many other schools, BHS Project Graduation doesn’t charge students an admission cost (a $25 donation is gratefully accepted per student, but not required). Dawn says much of the funding and other goods and services required comes from supportive members and organizations right here in Branford.
“The support we get in Branford is fabulous,” says Dawn. “Just about every restaurant we go to will give us food; we got a lot of support financially from the town’s bigger businesses and local businesses. Any store we go into to ask for a donation for our raffle prizes always gives us something.”
She’s also grateful for the backing of BPS, which opens the doors of BHS for Project Graduation to take over each year on Graduation Night. Dawn sends a shout out to the BHS custodial crew for making a seemingly seamless transition between setting up and breaking down commencement, while also preparing and staffing the school building to help keep it clean and orderly during Project Graduation.
Dawn said she remains immensely impressed by the work of her core group of committee members, from extra help given by BPS member Judy Spaar to volunteer efforts such as Karen Erickson’s fundraising “Balloons for Seniors” annual fundraising effort.
“We always try to raise enough so we can also leave money in the account, so that’s constantly growing. We want to be able to always put on Project Graduation, even if we have a lean year,” says Dawn.
It cost about $17,000 to put on this year’s BHS Project Graduation party.
“We make sure everyone gets a raffle prize, that we have the food, that we have enough entertainment for them, and [we] try to decorate the school as much as we can,” Dawn says. “This year, we had Segways for the kids, inflatables [including] Sumo wrestling. We had a Casino Night, a giant Jenga, Kan Jam, Spike Ball, slot car racing, [and] different [game] tournaments starting at different times. We had a quiet room upstairs with videos and a Craft Area. This year, the kids were all making friendship bracelets and remembering when they were little and made them! We had Henna tattoos, a palm reader; we had a therapy dog come in again this year and we ended with the hypnotist, which is always a great hit. And they had plenty of food!”
Dawn especially tips her cap to long-time BHS Project Graduation volunteer Paula Grimm for coming up with this year’s Hawaiian theme. She also thanks all of the members of the committee who not only work so hard in the run-up to the big night, but spend hours setting up and stay on to keep things running smoothly. For graduates, the party starts at about 9 p.m. All of the kids turn in their car keys at the door and stay until early morning.
“When the kids are leaving and say, ‘Thank you, we had fun,’ that’s what makes it important,” says Dawn. “I also hope that there’s some little nugget in the back of their mind that says, ‘Oh, we had fun—and we weren’t drinking.’ It’s not an obvious, explicit lesson, but maybe somewhere inside they’re thinking of it.”
Dawn also enjoys being at BHS for every hour of Project Graduation.
“I stay there the whole night,” she says.
By day, Dawn’s a special education teacher for the Madison School District, teaching at Polson Middle School for the past 15 years. When the Madison school year ends, her summer job is not far from home—she is the camp director for Branford First Congregational Church’s Killam’s Point Day Camp in Short Beach. Dawn thanks her kids for getting involved with her at Killam’s Point, too.
“I was always down there with my kids, volunteering,” says Dawn, who was co-director for several years before becoming director last year. “My kids practically grew up there!”
With one more child headed for BHS graduation next year, Dawn is already thinking about BHS Project Graduation 2017. She’s encouraging new parent members to get involved, and hopes to see new leadership begin to take shape as next year’s plans progress. More information is avaiable by visiting Branford Project Graduation on Facebook.
“When we do get new volunteers who come to help, they always say, ‘Wow, this was fun!’—and they usually want to come back and help again,” says Dawn. “We always welcome any help. Even if someone wants to make a donation for a raffle, we’ll take it! We love all of the support. The expression ‘It takes a village’ obviously works here, because everybody pitches in.”