Project Graduation Designed to Protect Students

Hundreds of kids from Wayne Valley and Wayne Hills high schools celebrated after commencement ceremonies Wednesday. But these young adults partied without alcohol or drugs.

Project Graduation was held at The Crystal Palace in Vernon Wednesday. Hundreds of students attended.

“There are 700 to 800 kids graduating and on the street on one night,” said Ruby Stanfield, an overseer of Wayne Valley’s project graduation and co-president for next year’s event. “We’re doing it because we want to keep the kids safe. We can’t be with them all the time. We just want to keep them safe.”

Students are supervised throughout the event and prohibited from taking bags, bottles, prescription or illegal drugs and alcohol into the party.

“It takes their ability to make a bad choice away from them. They don’t have to worry about making a bad decision,” said Robbin Gullino, coordinator of the Wayne Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse. “They may even be surprised that they have a good time without anything that may harm them.”

The Wayne Council of Parent Teacher Organizations sponsors and organizes Project Graduation. Participation is voluntary. The cost is $40 for each year a student attends high school in Wayne.

 “The event provides a safe atmosphere as well as a memorable, fun-filled evening with fellow graduates while reducing the potential of alcohol and drug-related traffic deaths and injuries during the high-risk graduation season,” said Rosemary Colazzo, president of the Wayne Valley Parent Teacher Organization.

Isaac Rinas was supposed to attend Project Graduation after the commencement ceremony Wednesday. He spoke to his father after the ceremony, NorthJersey.com reported Monday, telling him he was giving someone a ride.

Rinas died after he was shot in the neck. He and Casey Cole, a former classmate, were on Fair Street near East 18th St in Paterson, an area known for drug- and gang-related activity.

Cole, 18, was charged with felony murder, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. He will be arraigned in Superior Court Tuesday morning.

Gullino said she is in favor of having similar events for other milestones in adolescences’ lives including bar mitzvahs and sweet sixteen birthday parties.

“Let’s do everything we can to keep our kids safe until they are old enough and mature enough to make good decisions on their own,” said Gullino.

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.