Oxford Hills, 1979. Twelve teenagers died during graduation season, all related to drugs or alcohol.

This tragedy prompted a change. Oxford Hills offered its class of 1980 an alternative: a substance-free party for graduating seniors, sponsored by parents and the community.

Since then, high schools across the nation have adopted this practice, called Project Graduation, as tradition. It is “an alternative to the ‘traditional’ graduation night drinking and driving temptations that all too often end in tragedy,” said Deb Malia, who along with two others chairs Scarborough High School’s Project Graduation.

The graduating seniors are bused directly from the evening graduation ceremony to the overnnight celebration and then back to the high school the following morning. The event, which sees nearly complete participation by the graduates, is free, making it necessary to reach out to residents for support.

“We are a nonprofit entity,” Malia said. “We are 100 percent dependent upon community donations.”

While fundraising has become more difficult over recent years, Project Graduation remains committed to providing a free event for those graduating – adding a price would add an incentive not to participate.

Parent volunteers begin planning a year before graduation and the committee meets monthly between October and June. For Scarborough’s Project Graduation, their single major fundraiser is a silent auction planned for Saturday, March 17.

“Not only is auction night a fundraiser,” Malia stressed, “but it is a community event. With some successful bidding, you can go home with some products and services for exceptional prices.”

Many Scarborough businesses have donated items for the silent and live auctions to be held (a list can be found at www.shsprojectgraduation.org). The ticket price – $5 for an individual or $15 for a family – also includes food, music, and entrance to a social gathering with other Scarborough residents. Malia invites all to attend the auction and support Project Graduation.

“We are very lucky to have wonderful support from community members and businesses that donate items for the auction as well as cash donations,” she said. “Now we just need to have parents and people come to the auction to purchase these items.”

As last year, this year the plan is to take an overnight cruise on the Spirit of Boston in Boston Harbor. It will include food, dancing, and other activities. And, mostly, it will be substance-free, ensuring a safe graduation that will not be shadowed by tragedy.

“It is very frustrating. I get the sense that people think it is someone else’s problem,” Malia said. “But keeping the kids safe in our community is everyone’s problem.”

Ali Pelczar is a junior at Scarborough High School.