Monument students celebrate, hope to inspire with safe and sober grad party

Students and parents in Monument are taking a stand against drunk driving.

A group is providing a safe, sober place for teens to celebrate graduation on Saturday night.

It comes almost two years after two Palmer Ridge High School students were killed in a drunk driving crash.

Ryan Pappas and Beau Begier died Labor Day weekend in 2014. Police say the driver, a friend of theirs, was drinking at the time of the incident.

The group partnered with the YMCA’s Teen Center and the Ryan Pappas Foundation for the special grad party.

“There’s nothing more inspirational than sitting around a group of teens that are blowing your mind with what they come up with,” said Heather Steinman, executive director of the Monument YMCA.

“Based off what the world tells them what other people tell them and peer pressure, (students think) the only way to have fun is to go and make a certain decision. We’re here to show them that here we’re going to have a blast and do it in a safe and sober environment,” said Isaiah Sanders, who helped organize the event.

The event is being held from 8:00 p.m. to 2 a.m. Students from Lewis Palmer and Palmer Ridge are welcome to the free party.