Senior celebration nearing, tickets on sale

Parents of Mountain Home High School seniors have been working since November to plan this year's Senior Celebration.

Senior Celebration is an all-night alcohol- and drug-free party for graduating seniors and a guest.

"The purpose is to provide a fun, controlled, drug and alcohol free environment for kids to celebrate graduation," said Tami Downen, co-chair of the event.

During the event, which starts at 9 p.m. graduation night and goes until 4 a.m. the next morning, graduates can earn fake money playing card games or enjoy giant blow-up games.

At the end of the night, graduates can use their prize money to buy prizes from an auction. Downen said every graduate will leave with a prize.

The graduate's guest can participate in the games and win cash, but their money belongs to the accompanying senior at the end of the night.

Throughout the night, free food and drinks are provided to all guests.

"It's all about the kids," Downen said. "It's important they have a fun, structured environment and something they can remember."

The event cost nearly $20,000 to raise and Downen said the committee is just over half way to that goal.

Mountain Home High School principal Jeff Johnson said since Senior Celebration started in 1984, there has not been any alcohol-related fatalities in Mountain Home on graduation night.

"That's what it's all about," he said.

To raise enough to purchase prizes and food, the committee has held several fundraisers in addition to what Downen called very generous donations from the community.

Downen said the committee, made up of 12-20 members, is still accepting donations for the celebration. Nearly 40 volunteers are needed on the night of the celebration to help run card games, hand out food, run the prize table and perform other tasks.

Downen said volunteers do not need to be parents of graduating seniors.

The next fundraiser is a yard sale starting at 7 a.m. on May 10 at Idaho Independent Bank's parking lot. Items can be donated that morning to sell but the committee asks that everything but clothes be pre-priced.

The committee had all graduating seniors sign a piece of fabric that was turned into a quilt to be raffled off. Tickets are $1 and go on sale today.

The committee meets weekly at 6 p.m. on Mondays at Room 24A at the high school. Anyone interested in taking part of the celebration is invited to attend.

Tickets for Senior Celebration are $25 and seniors can buy only one guest ticket.

Tickets go on sale today and will be sold Wednesday though Friday during lunch at the high school until graduation.

Seniors can purchase their tickets for $20 the next two weeks, however, guest tickets are still $25.