Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

BOURBON—The Central District Coalition for Roadway Safety and Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) awarded Bourbon High School a Project Graduation grant to assist with expenses for the drug and alcohol-free after graduation celebration.

Schools that participated in the ‘It Only Takes One’ seatbelt competition were eligible to apply for the Project Graduation grant, which included cash, gift cards and educational incentives, valued at $400, that remind students to buckle up and arrive alive. Seniors and parents, who are planning the all-night event, along with school administrators accepted the incentives on behalf of the 2016-17 senior class. Bourbon High School was one of seven Project Graduation grant recipients.

Caleb Roberts (a senior), Trish Lewis (an educator) and Samantha Hofstetter (a senior) with the Bourbon High School accepted the check presented by Bonnie Prigge, Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) executive director, and Trent Brooks with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), both members of the Central District Coalition for Roadway Safety presented the incentives. MRPC coordinates the Project Graduation/Docudrama mini-grant initiative through a grant from the Central District Coalition for Roadway Safety.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 25, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.orgor on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.