Newport High School has turned to crowdfunding to raise money for its 2015 Grad Night (stylized as “Grad Knight” to reference the campus mascot).

The Grad Knight committee of the Newport PTSA is seeking $2,500 to fund the event, using a “FundIT” campaign on the schools-oriented crowdfunding platform SwopBoard.

Grad nights are a common event used by high schools to create a safe, “dry” event for graduates.

“Grad Knight is a chance to give our students a wonderful memory, keep them safe, built a tradition and provide them with a stress-free alternative,” event co-chair Kris Smith wrote to the Reporter. “They don’t have to make the decision to drink or not drink alcohol. Everyone has a party to attend — no one is left out.

“And parents can actually go to bed and get some sleep.”

In Newport’s case, the PTSA buses students to a secret location, where they spend the entire night.

Traditionally, the committee has raised money for Grad Knight through the Newport Shores garage sale, holiday brunch and poinsettia sales — which will not disappear due to the FundIT campaign (linked here), which the committee learned about from a Newport parent who works for SwopBoard.

“(It) is an online marketplace similar to craigslist but with a philanthropic nature,” event co-chair Kris Smith wrote to the Reporter. “It complements our annual garage sale in September by giving our items more exposure to increase sales … we are hoping it will spotlight our fundraising mission that much more throughout the school year.”