Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

Back (L-R): Lisa Neuner, Makenzie Thoenen, Austin Eisterhold, Ben Luebbering, Chad Angerer, Kole McKinney, Sheriff Mike Bonham, Principal Jeff Buthod, MRPC Executive Director Bonnie Prigge;
Middle (L-R): Anna Massman, Madelyn Kloeppel, Grace Brune, Megan Wiggins, Hannah Plassmeyer, Emily Schulte, Grace Cummins, Amber Bax, Sara Schmidt;
Front Kneeling (L-R): Sydney Kramer, Madison Pfahl, Grace Vehige, Anna Starke and Raegan Streeter

WESTPHALIA—The Central District Coalition for Roadway Safety and Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) awarded Fatima 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. Fatima High School was one of seven Project Graduation grant recipients.

Bonnie Prigge, Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) executive director, presented the incentives. MRPC is a member of the Central District Coalition for Roadway Safety and 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/.