The venue for Punahou’s Class of 2018 commencement has been changed from the Neil S. Blaisdell Center to the Stan Sheriff Center and that change comes with many positives such as reserved seating, additional parking, and no regulation on graduation signs. However, there is one substantial negative as a result. This year’s Project Grad is to take place at Lucky Strike Social and it is a poor choice because of its lack of space, increased price, and low student support. 

The chosen location of Lucky Strike Social Honolulu is simply not appropriate for Punahou’s Class of 2018, which retains 439 students. Although the venue boasts a substantial 25,000 square feet of space, most of it is used by game machines, bowling lanes, and bar areas. This will result in a congested areas and long waits for bowling lanes and arcade games for potentially over 400 students. The Neil S. Blaisdell Center’s Exhibition Hall, the venue for previous Project Grad events, provides 65,000 square feet of open space, shrinking Lucky Strike in comparison. 

Also, when compared to last year’s Project Grad, Lucky Strike is significantly more expensive. The cost of this year's Project Grad is approximately $120 when the cost of the Class of 2017's Project Grad only costed around $30. While some Punahou families can easily afford this price, there are just as many, if not more, who frown upon or simply cannot allocate money for this event. Because this year’s Project Grad is optional, its lofty price is discouraging families from registering their graduate for Project Grad. 

As the motives behind Project Grad are to protect new graduates from traffic accidents and other trouble on such a big and eventful night that requires celebration, it is important that Project Grad appeals to its students. If Project Grad loses its support and attendance from students, it has failed to do its job and could result in significant consequences. A venue similar to the Blaisdell Center's Exhibition Hall would be a significant improvement from Lucky Strike and would provide the graduating class with the flexibility and increased opportunities to make some final, life-lasting memories with each other. The Class of 2018 deserves a more affordable and appealing option for Project Grad.