April 18, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
Another record breaker!
Good Friday was made even better for the DCHS Class of 2025 with a successful WJLE Radiothon for Project Graduation which shattered the all-time record set just two years ago although it fell short of the $15,000 goal.
During a three-hour WJLE radiothon on Good Friday, April 18 which was also LIVE streamed on the DC Blitz Facebook page, the community rallied in support of the DCHS Class of 2025 with pledges and donations totaling a record breaking $13,685 edging out the previous WJLE DCHS Project Graduation Radiothon record of $13,390 set in 2023 and easily beating last year’s total of $8,500.
The radiothon was hosted by Jordan Atnip. Many members of the class participated and parents on the Project Graduation committee worked behind the scenes to help make the program run smoothly. A special thanks to Daniel Leslie who set up the DC Blitz Facebook Live stream from the WJLE Studios.
To add extra fun and excitement, members of the class took challenges to sing, dance, and to gulp down pickled pigs’ feet, pork brains, habanero, mystery meat, and spoonfuls of baby food, dog food, cat food, and more.
Donations can still be made through Venmo and by cash or check at the high school, Family Medical Center, and at City Hall.
“We appreciate WJLE, all the listeners, and everybody who called in and donated today and to the kids for coming out here and giving of their time to the cause that is going to benefit them,” said Project Graduation Committee Chairman Michiko Martin.
“In all reality this will probably be the last time this whole group of kids are ever together, so we want to make it a fun and exciting time for them with games and food and ways for them to make money and have prizes but be safe on graduation night. For a lot of them they will be going off to college and they will be able to get some things from this to help make their next step in life successful even if they are not going to college,” said Martin.
“We had a good time and were super excited to raise over $13,000 and I know its going to a good cause. We just want to say thank you so much to everyone who donated today. I think Project Graduation will be a good thing to be able to hang out with all of our friends for the last time before we all go off to college. For me, next year I will be going to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and I am planning on majoring in Biology and going Pre-Med,” said DCHS Class of 2025 Salutatorian and Class President Madeline Martin.
Project Graduation is an all-night drug-free, alcohol-free graduation party for members of the DCHS Class of 2025 committed to having a safe, wholesome, yet entertaining celebration together for the last time as a class. The event begins following the graduation ceremony Friday, May 16.