The Graduation Gala
The
Graduation Gala is not a school sponsored activity. Instead, it is a
gift to our seniors from their families and the community. All Gala costs are
paid with donations from families of seniors, local businesses and other Madison
area organizations and individuals.
The
goal of the Gala
The
goal of the Graduation Gala is to provide a special and safe celebration for
graduates, giving them an opportunity for one last night with their classmates
before they go their separate ways.
Activities are provided for those who want them, as well as quiet space
for those who prefer talking and relaxing. The food is delicious and endless,
and there's music and entertainment for everyone. A raffle with a variety of
donated prizes lets some kids win things as big as a TV or dorm-sized
refrigerator, or as small as a laundry basket filled with washing supplies.
Safety
The
Gala is structured as a 'come-and-stay' event in order to assure the
safety
of
seniors
on a night which has been notorious in the past for car accidents and
other problems stemming from drinking or drug use (other people's kids, of
course.)
Transportation
Students check in
with parent volunteers at the high school and are then taken by bus to the site
of the Gala. They are expected to stay until the end, when they are taken back
to the school, again by bus.
Leaving Early
Parents of any senior who cannot stay until the end of the Gala must provide a
note to the Gala committee well in advance of that day. The parent must come to
the site in person and sign out with the appointed Gala committee member to
assure that the student is leaving with an approved person.
Senior Parents Need
Not Apply
Parent chaperones
for the Gala are volunteers primarily from the junior class, with some
freshman and sophomore parents, too. Though being a chaperone is fun, senior
parents are the only ones not invited. The graduates are more comfortable
without their parents in close proximity, and parents need time to rest or visit
with family and friends after a strenuous graduation day.
Planning for
this year's Gala is underway
Senior families will be
receiving letters from the Gala Committee during the year asking for donations.
Though an amount will be suggested, families are encouraged to give whatever
they can.