The South Portland High School senior class is hosting a dodgeball tournament fundraiser Nov. 13 and is in need of teams.
Money raised will support Project Graduation, an annual celebratory event for seniors held after commencement ceremonies. This year’s event is especially important, said one of its organizers, Cybil Kipp, a parent of a senior.
The class of 2023 was in the second semester of their freshman year when the pandemic hit.
“They spent the next two years either at home or hybrid,” Kipp said. “They missed out on a lot of opportunities to go to games or go to dances and the typical fundraising activities they do.”
The Class of 2020 held the first dodgeball tournament before COVID-19 emerged. Not only was it successful in raising money for Project Graduation, it brought people from across the community together, Kipp said. Coaches, teachers and students representing all of South Portland’s schools formed teams, as did police officers, firefighters and local businesses. One play from that tournament made its way on ESPN’s Top 10 Plays of the Week.
Project Graduation is also not exclusive to the class of 2023.
“Any money that’s left over goes to the classes below them,” Kipp said.
The tournament, scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, at Beal Memorial Gym at the high school, is short of teams, but organizers have hopes of getting enough to sign up by the Nov. 6 deadline.
The cost to enter a five-person team with up to two alternates is $50. To sign up, go to bit.ly/3gKqR4a and fill out the form.
Spectators are welcome at the tournament.
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