Kearny duo leads effort to make Project Graduation a night to remember

Twenty-six years ago, Jenny Paz says, three of her high school classmates veered off a curve in Trumansburg, New York and struck a pole. The driver and both passengers were killed. It’s a preventable tragedy repeated from country roads to highways across the United States. Prom and graduation season is the most dangerous time for teen drivers who celebrate with alcohol, loose judgement, and speed.

The President of Kearny Project Graduation, Paz aims to change the statistics with an 8-hour, overnight party fueled by camaraderie, recreational activities, food, music, and entertainment. Nationally, Project Graduation events remove the temptation of risky behavior by offering teens alternatives during a key overnight time frame. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration notes that motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of teen fatalities, especially between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

“It keeps them safe from going out drinking, getting into horrible accidents, or poisoning themselves with drugs and alcohol,” Paz says. “Kearny Project Graduation is profoundly meaningful.”

Graduates are picked at 9 p.m. on school grounds, get baggage checked, and bused with a police escort to the undisclosed facilities rental. They play games, compete in sports like basketball and soccer, eat dinner, sign yearbooks, listen to their favorite tunes, make crafts, and bounce through inflatables.

“They have the run the entire place. Many of these teens will never see each other again. This is the last time they’re together,” Paz says. “They celebrate their accomplishments, reflect on their time, and have fun. Whoever they had a problem with they let it go for the night. Later they unwind, have breakfast, and are entertained by a hypnotist at 2 a.m. We take them back at 5 a.m.”

The cost is approximately $50,000 each year to accommodate some 220 teens, about half the Kearny High School graduating class. A private nonprofit, KPG’s biggest challenges are engagement and fundraising. The organization needs chaperones, student participants, and small business and civic support, KPG Treasurer and former president Ann Rodrigues notes.

“We used to get 80 percent graduate participation, but it dipped post-pandemic,” Rodrigues says, reflecting on KPG’s 30-year history. “We’re trying to increase the number of graduates who choose to attend, and we’re fortunate to have help from the principal.”

KPG receives grant funding but relies on local sponsorship for the bulk of its fundraising. To buy KPG 50/50 raffle tickets, $5 each, supporters can visit the Kearny-Belleville Elks Lodge at 601 Elm St., Bib’s Auto Parts at 51 Stover Ave., American Legion Post 99 at 314 Belgrove Dr., or The Soccer Post at 256 Kearny Ave. More information may be obtained by emailing projectgrad@kearnyschools.com or calling 201-948-8414.

Current sponsors include Kearny Municipal Alliance, Kearny PBA, Kearny FMBA, UNICO, Kearny-Belleville Elks 1050, Union CS-11, and JWCA for their volunteer work.

At the end of 2026 graduation festivities, on June 18-19, like years prior, KPG youths will trek back from their party and reverie as the birds start chirping. Rodrigues anticipates they will be exhausted, half asleep, blissful, and safe and sound.

“It’s beautiful as we see the sun come up on the horizon over the New Jersey Turnpike. It makes me feel like a mom of 200,” she muses. “It’s a rite of passage and an unforgettable experience,” Paz adds.

Editor’s Note: Kearny Project Graduation will be holding a Volleyball Game this Friday, April 24 at 6:00 pm at the Kearny High School Gymnasium. Admission for adults is $5 and students $3. All funds from this event go towards Project Graduation.