Project Graduation 2010 open to all Lawrence high school graduates

Project Graduation is awarding a car to a senior from a Lawrence high school. Some of the graduating seniors from the four area high schools are, clockwise from front left, Pete Esau, Bishop Seabury Academy; Sarah Hanson, Free State; Sam Callan, Free State; Chase Billings, Lawrence High; Carlin Francis, LHS; and Joshua Barclay, Veritas Christian School.

High school graduation schedule

• Bishop Seabury Academy’s graduation and stepping-up ceremony will be 9 a.m. Friday at the school, 4120 Clinton Parkway.

• Veritas Christian School’s graduation will be 7:30 p.m. Friday at Mustard Seed Church, 700 Wakarusa Drive.

• Free State High School’s graduation is at 1 p.m. Sunday at the school’s athletic stadium, 4700 Overland Drive.

• Lawrence High School’s ceremony will be 4 p.m. at the LHS athletic stadium, 1901 La.

• In case of inclement weather, the public high school ceremonies on Sunday will move to Allen Fieldhouse.

Several graduating high school seniors from Lawrence will walk away with big prizes as they head into the next phases of their lives.

Lap top and desk top computers, a flat screen TV, video game consoles, cash, scholarships — and even a 2001 Mazda 6 from Laird Noller Automotive — will be up for grabs at Project Graduation 2010 Sunday night at Abe and Jake’s Landing, 8 E. Sixth St. The event begins at 10 p.m.

The annual event organized by parents offers a drug- and alcohol-free environment for graduating seniors the night of the public high school graduation ceremonies, which are Sunday afternoon. The event is for all graduating seniors from all schools, public and private, in Lawrence.

Parent organizers starting selling $10 tickets earlier this year to generate money to purchase prizes, said Brenda Billings, a co-publicity chairwoman for the event.

They have sold 350 tickets so far.

“We hope to sell more,” Billings said.

Students can still buy tickets before the event after the public high school graduation rehearsals Friday morning.

Graduates can also wait in line to buy tickets that night at the door. The tickets cover admission, which includes all food and drinks for the night and games.

Students will be able to put tickets for drawing prizes in different boxes to give them a better chance at winning certain prizes this year, like the car or the TV.

More information is available at www.projectgraduationlawrence.org.

A previous version of this story listed the incorrect day for the graduation rehearsals.