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Home My WebLink About11 GRAD NIGHT FUNDING 03-18-08AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: MARCH 18, 2008 TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER FROM: DAVID WILSON, ACTING DIRECTOR, PARKS & RECREATION SVCS. SUBJECT: GRAD NIGHT FUNDING SUMMARY: The Grad Night Committees from Beckman High School, Foothill High School and Tustin High School have submitted requests for funding assistance from the City Council. RECOMMENDATION: Pleasure of the Council FISCAL IMPACT: Grad Night donations are not currently identified as funded in the 2007-08 FY Budget. BACKGROUND: The City has received the attached letters from the Grad Night Committees of the three Tustin Area high schools requesting donations for their Grad night events; Beckman High School ($3,500), Foothill High School ($3,000) and Tustin High School (no amount specified). Requests from local high schools have taken place since 1989. In 2007, the City Council appropriated $3,000 to each of the schools. Consistent with City Council policy and with each school request different this year, staff recommends each high school be considered to receive 75% of last year's donation of $3,000. If approved each school would receive $2,250 to support their Grad Night programs. The Grad Night Committees are made up of parent volunteers. The committees need help to provide safe graduation celebrations for more than 1,200 Tustin Area graduating seniors. This program is designed to keep Tustin teens safe, while delivering the message that there are appropriate ways to celebrate. This year Beckman High School's Grad Night activities will be held on June 17, and Tustin and Foothill High School Grad Nights are scheduled for June 18. Page 2 Representatives from the three high schools will be in attendance to answer any questions. David WiIson, Acting Director Parks and Recreation Services Jonathan Blackmore Principal Cesar Flores Assistant Principal JoAnne Motter AssistantPrindpal Chad Smith Assistant Principal 1171 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780 Phone: (714) 730-7414 FAX: (714) 730-7568 A History of Excellence, a Future of Promise Tustin High Arad Night 2008 February 25, 2008 Dear Tustin High Supporter: This letter is sent to you by a group of parents from Tustin High School who have volunteered to organize an all night celebration for the 2008 graduating seniors. This tradition started in 1986 as an answer to reduce the growing number of alcohol and drug related accidents and deaths that occur as a result of unsupervised graduation celebrations. This night has become a way for the entire community to focus on a project conceived to save the lives of our graduating seniors. The majority of our budget is generated from the sale of tickets, but in order to maintain an affordable admission price, we need donations from our community, which can consist of assistance with food, cash donations, gifts or gift certificates to be given away throughout the night. Your business name will be listed on a donor wall that will be displayed outside the celebration and a notice of thanks, which can be displayed in your place of business to let the entire community know of your support for our school and support of the cmmmunity as a whole. We sincerely appreciate your interest and support in this worthwhile event. Thank you for your time and consideration. Please do not hesitate to call with questions or comments. Sincerel , Gail Sandberg Fundraising Committee Member gsundberglobal.net 714-731-3219 • Please make your tax deductible check payable to: Tustin High Grad Night 2008 Tag ID# 96-2892821 ARNOLD O. BECKMAN HIGH SCHOOL Parent-Teacher Organization 3588 Bryan Avenue • Irvine,California 92602 • 714)734-2900 Mayor Jerry Amante Tustin City Council Members 300 Centennial Way Tustin, CA 92780 Dear Mayor Amante and City Council Members: Thank you for all that you do for the schools of Tustin Unified School Distric High School appreciate your support. Arnold O. Beckman High School is the newest addition to the Tustin School District and will graduate its first full 4 year class of 500 students on June 19, 2008 Most of these students will be attending Grad Night after graduation Ceremonies. These seniors are very special in that they have worked very hard to launch a new school. They are the students that started each of our traditions and put in hours and hours of extra work doing so. The first students and their families have given quite a lot of their time and money to launch the school. Therefore we as a Community would like to thank the full 4-year graduating class with a safe and sober party that they will never forget. The Beckman High School Graduation Committee is hoping that you would like to participste in Beckman High. School's first full 4-year class at Gad-Night- In fact, we would like to make your business a corporate sponsor for our Grad Night Activities. We would greatly appreciate it if you would consider contributing $ 3,500.00.. The check can be sent to: Beckman High School Attan: Sissy Oberlin/Grad-Night Committee `08 3588 Bryan Ave Irvine, CA 92602 The contribution is tax deductible. In addition, donations will be acknowledged in a keepsake booklet that will be passed out during the graduation ceremony and on a poster at grad-night. We understand that this request needs to be put in the agenda to be discussed at a City Council Meeting. Please let us know when this would be scheduled for so we can stay informed. Please contact Kim Fetrton at (714) 544-5488 for additional information. Thank you for giving us your time and consideration. Sincerely, Kim Fenton Tustin Unified School District February 24, 2008 RE: Foothill High School "Grad Knight" Donation Dear Mayor Amante and City Council Members On behalf of Foothill High School, we would like to thank you for your help in sponsoring our "Grad Knight 2007". Last year your contributrition of $3,000.00 was used to offset the costs of the "Grad Knight" and also to sponsor seniors who might not otherwise be able to attend the event. The purpose of this yearly event is to provide a "Safe and Sane" supervised environment after the senior graduation ceremony. Nationwide, graduation night is one of the most celebrated, but potentially risky evening in a teenager's life. Towns across across America have found that sponsored events after graduation are one way to keep our young citizens safe. To keep our Foothill High School Seniors safe again this year, on June 18, we are planning "Grad Knight 2008". We want to keep all of our students entertained while they enjoy their last night as a class together. For the students, it is a night filled with music, dancing, entertainment, compaionship and memories. For the parents, it will be a night with the peace of mind knowing their young adult is celebrating in an appropriate environment. We would like to ask the City of Tustin for a contribution of $3,000.00 to help underwrite this year's event costs and again support senior high school students who financially could not otherwise attend this year's "Grad Knight". The Foothill Grad Knight Committee is a division of our Parent Teacher Organization, a fully qualified non- profit organization; therefore your donations are tax deductible (EIN: 33-0716457). With sincere appreciation, The Foothill High School Grad Knight Committee Please address checks to: Foothill Grad Knight Committee 19251 Dodge Avenue Santa Ana, CA 92705 Contact: Kathy Hornbeak, Nily Sotoodeh Grad Night Committee Members (714)771-6781 Kathy (714)731-1127 Nily California Distinguished School National Blue Ribbon School