By Dakota Antelman, Managing Editor
NORTHBOROUGH – Algonquin High School, Grafton High School and Westborough High School are all getting money to help support “fun and safe post-graduation activities for students.”
That’s thanks to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr., whose office has announced and doled out the grants in recent weeks.
“Students have been dealing with a lot in the last year with the COVID-19 pandemic causing them to miss out on time in school, playing sports and enjoying social activities with friends and family,” Early said in a press release. “I am particularly proud this year to be able to help provide these kids with the fun celebrations they deserve to end the school year safely.”
Early’s office sent grants to 16 out of the dozens of high schools in his constituency, passing out a total of $20,000 with those awards.
The money specifically aims to support programming that helps keep students from drinking and driving after celebratory events like prom and graduation.
“The hardest part of our job is talking to people in pain,” Early said. “Life can change in the blink of an eye. These programs that our community partners have created help to keep kids safe from unnecessary tragedies caused by combining these celebrations with drinking and driving.”
Money now flowing from Early’s office to Westborough, Grafton and Algonquin, in turn, comes from the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance Drunk Driving Trust Fund, a state grant that provides support services and advocacy to victims, witnesses, and their family members of intoxicated driving crashes.
