Vicki Lysen needs the used car that will be given away to a high school senior at 3:50 a.m. Monday at Project Graduation.

Lysen’s car broke down Friday, but to be eligible for the prize she’d have to turn back time and be a high school senior.

As co-coordinator of the annual Project Graduation party with Deb Carpenter, Lysen will happily hand keys to a 1992 Honda Civic to the senior who has his or her name pulled in the grand-prize drawing.

“It’s a wonderful donation,” Lysen said.

The celebration for seniors at Lawrence High School, Free State High School, Lawrence Alternative High School and Bishop Seabury Academy starts at 11 p.m. Sunday and ends at 4 a.m. Monday at The Granada, 1020 Mass.

Commencement programs for Lawrence public school district’s seniors are Sunday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

Project Graduation, which typically draws two-thirds of all graduates, is an alcohol- and drug-free night of dancing, games, food and prizes.

“It’s the last big party that these kids who have grown up will have together,” Lysen said.

Roger Bernhardt parks a 1992 Honda Civic that will be given away to a lucky Lawrence high school senior during this weekend's Project Graduation. Bernhardt, who is a sales manager at Jack Ellena Honda, showed the car Wednesday.

To punctuate the celebration, she said, prizes will be given away every 30 minutes. Graduates must be present to win.

The Lawrence Journal-World and DCCCA donated $500 for scholarships. The gift list includes DVD and MP3 players. The prize patrol wraps up the extravaganza with a drawing for the car donated by Ellena Honda.

All the seniors attending will receive commemorative T-shirts donated by Gene Fritzel Construction, Stephens Real Estate and University National Bank.

Project Graduation is partially funded by a $1,000 Recognition Grant from the Kansas Health Foundation.

“I’d really like the community to know how the parents pulled together,” Lysen said. “The business donors are fabulous. Especially in this economic strife we’re in, people have still come through.”