KAILUA — Kailua High School seniors will celebrate their commencement together after all, thanks to parents and students who took up the challenge when organizers announced in March that they were canceling the annual Project Graduation party.

The prospect of no post-graduation party and graduates on the road instead brought dozens of parents and students together with just weeks left to plan the event, said Tracy Yano, Project Grad committee member.

Some classes work a year or more on their Project Grad events.

"A lot of parents that came forward didn't want their kids out wandering on graduation night," Yano said. "Their comeback was, 'Our kids have to be safe.' "

The new committee had a lot of work to do with less than three months to plan and needing $33,000. The first committee had $17,000, some of which was left over from the year before.

So parents held more fundraisers and scrambled to find a venue. And they've managed to pull it all together.

As tradition goes, none of the Project Grad plans are being revealed beforehand. All Yano would say is that there will be entertainment, prizes, dinner and breakfast for the graduates.

Project Graduation, an alcohol- and drug-free, all-night party, began 19 years ago at Hawai'i public schools. This year, 18 private schools and 33 public schools will throw Project Grad parties, said Jan Meeker, Project Graduation coordinator for the state Department of Education.

The number of schools participating in the event has remained the same for the past couple of years, and there's no new school ready to sign on until 2010 when Myron B. Thompson Academy said it would plan the event for its seniors, Meeker said.

The Kailua parents see the value in the event and are working hard to put a memorable party together, Yano said. In the past weeks, they have held a rummage sale, a HI-5¢ can collection, a pizza night and a Big City Diner fundraiser.

"I couldn't have done it by myself," Yano said. "The help that has come forward has been amazing. It gives me chicken skin."

Yano wasn't sure how much has been collected but said it will be enough along with the fee students are paying. But instead of a $50 fee as originally planned, students will have to pay $100.

A special concession was made to students who participated in the first Project Grad committee and helped raise the bulk of the $17,000, she said. They will go for free because of all the hard work they did throughout the year to help raise money, Yano said.

Yano said about 200 students have signed up for the event and more can join up until the day of the event if they have their $100 and parental permission.

About 220 seniors are expected to graduate from Kailua on May 31, according to Sandra Kaluau, Kailua High senior counselor.

HOW TO HELP

Kailua High School's Project Graduation committee is still accepting donations. Contact Tracy Yano at 741-6466.