Grad Night 2026 – Planning Committee Volunteers Needed!
Join the Grad Night planning committee and help plan a fun, safe all-night party for our Class of 2026 graduates on Tuesday June 16 after their graduation ceremony. The Grad Night co-chairs, Kathleen Judd and Karin Zaugg-Black, are looking for a group of volunteers to help fill the following planning committee roles:
* Recruiting and coordination of chaperones the night of the event (we need about 20 chaperones)
* Event promotion
* Registration support
* Fundraising for student scholarships
* Purchasing items for the event.
Parents from ALL classes are encouraged to join the Grad Night planning committee, especially parents of sophomores and juniors. In the spring, we’ll be reaching out for volunteer chaperones for the night of the event as well. Email us at gradnight@garfieldptsa.org to volunteer or learn more.
All seniors are invited to join Grad Night, an annual tradition at Garfield. Grad Night is a safe, sober, fun, all-night party immediately following their graduation ceremonies.
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When and Where
Following the commencement ceremony, seniors and chaperones will board charter buses at a place to be named to one or more mystery venues for an all-night party of entertainment, food, and fun. The buses will return seniors to the Garfield parking lot after dawn!
The location of the party is the only secret. Seniors will not find out where they are going until the buses reach the venue.
Safety of the kids is the top priority.
⇒ We will have over 20 adult chaperones (Garfield teachers, plus parent and guardian volunteers.) See how to volunteer below.
⇒ Kids will leave their cell phones in bus storage upon boarding, so they can fully enjoy each other without their electronics! We will have emergency phone numbers should you have to reach your kids during the night.
Food
Students will receive a late night dinner and light breakfast as part of their ticket. Garfield PTSA provides snacks for the kids upon boarding the buses. Email gradnight@garfieldptsa.org if your student has special dietary needs.
Cost
The ticket price covers part of the cost of the party venue and food. Garfield PTSA subsidizes transportation and other costs to help ensure all seniors can attend.
Ticket prices vary based on a family’s ability to pay.
- Full price: TBA – This option makes Grad Night possible for all. Please use it if your family is able.
- Discounted price: TBA – Use this if full price is a burden to your family.
- Free/Reduced Lunch students: TBA – Students who qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch may opt for this ticket price.
If cost is a concern for your family, please reach out to Mr. Rees or Ms. Sloan about scholarship options.
Families can donate toward scholarship tickets for others when registering.
Q&A about the Grad Night tradition
For many years, Garfield seniors have celebrated together at the “sober and safe” Bulldog Grad Night party, with support and coordination by the PTSA and volunteer chaperones.
What is Grad Night? Following the commencement ceremony, students and chaperones board charter buses to one or more “mystery” party venues (reserved solely for our grads) for many hours of entertainment, food, and fun. Among recent venues are Flying Squirrel, the Family Fun Center, Seattle night clubs, and Dave and Buster’s. The buses return everyone to Garfield early the morning after graduation.
Who pays for it? Tickets are priced on a sliding scale to cover some of the event costs, while providing reduced price tickets for those unable to pay the full price. The Garfield PTSA also subsidizes the event with significant funding. Those who can pay full ticket price are encouraged to do so to help minimize the PTSA subsidy. Donations can be made to support discounted student tickets.
What does the ticket price include? The ticket covers bus transportation, food, entertainment, and a senior gift.
Who can attend? ALL seniors are encouraged to attend this event. Guests are not permitted. Students must travel with the group via bus, and are not allowed to join the event partway through.
What are the volunteer opportunities? Co-chairs and committee members (e.g. promotion, volunteer coordination, gift bag coordination) help plan the event each year. We also need a large number of volunteers the night of the event to chaperone and load students on the buses. A professional event-planning company does much of the work. Email gradnight@garfieldptsa.org to volunteer.