News of the cancellation of Kailua High School's Project Graduation has parents scrambling to resurrect the event — and wondering where a reported $17,000 raised for the commencement party has gone.

Word of the cancellation went out last month, not through official notification but through the grapevine. The reason given for the pullout: too little parent participation.

Clay Springer, chairman of the school's Project Graduation effort, said the money collected has been allotted to three entities: the Friends of Kailua High School, an umbrella nonprofit that the school's Project Graduation falls under; the senior class; and to individual students who helped in the fundraising efforts.

Springer said his daughter and about 12 of her friends were consistent volunteers, but he stopped short of saying who will receive money and how much.

"It was basically a small group of kids that was carrying all the activities," he said. "I really think the distribution was equitable, and it was reflective of what people put in."

The word was out about the need for volunteers, the committee had called people and fliers were sent home, but help never materialized, Springer said.

Springer said a committee of about six people made the decision to cancel as well as how to distribute the money after other parents didn't step forward to help.

"It's unfortunate, but it's not like this is a precedent for this class," he said. "They canceled the winter ball. They canceled the senior lu'au all for the same reason, lack of participation."

Across Hawai'i, parents spend up to two years raising money and planning for elaborate all-night post-graduation parties designed to keep teens from using alcohol or drugs as a means to celebrate the end of high school. The youths are shuttled to an undisclosed location and feted with entertainment, games, dancing and prizes.

Each year, thousands of graduates take part in these Project Graduation festivities.

Some dedicated parents spend long hours collecting HI-5 cans to recycle, manning car washes or bake sales to raise the money needed. The amounts of money involved can be substantial, with some schools raising upward of $40,000 to $50,000.

Participation varies from school to school, but the goal is the same: prevent young people from drinking and driving.

Word of the distribution of Kailua High's Project Grad money has raised concerns with parents and state officials.

"Generally speaking, when you raise money as a charitable organization for a specific purpose and tell donors that, the money does need to be expended for those purposes," said Hugh Jones, deputy attorney general, who has oversight of Hawai'i charities. "But where it's impossible to return the money to donors, usually we try to develop a scenario where the money can be used for some very similar purpose."

Jan Meeker, Project Graduation coordinator for the state Department of Education, said she has received calls about the Kailua money but has had no communication with the members of the defunct committee. Meeker said any money raised publicly for Project Graduation must be spent on that.

"You can't just give it away to who you think deserves the money or should have the money," she said.

Meeker said the committee should have given all of the money to the Friends of Kailua High to distribute.

She did hear from parents who were concerned about the distribution.

"My advice to them was find out if you have 100 percent of the money, then it's OK. But if you don't, then you have a problem," Meeker said.

Ed Kemper, president of the Friends of Kailua High, said the Friends have the final say about where the money goes. Kemper said he has checks from Springer but he hasn't distributed them because the Friends' board will decide where the money is to go.

Kemper said he wasn't sure about the total amount of the checks, and Springer didn't want to reveal the amounts distributed. But Springer said in a January interview that more than $17,000 was collected. He told The Advertiser last week that on second look, it was about $16,000, and that included money raised for past project graduation parties and carried over because it wasn't spent.

Kemper said the money could go to a second group that is willing to take over the event.

But with a May 31 graduation date, the new committee has its work cut out for it.

Nevertheless, Tracy Yano and other parents are willing to give it a try, and they are seeking volunteers and donations.

Yano disputed Springer's claim that he sought help. In a January news story in which he claimed to have raised $17,000, he didn't mention any need for volunteers, Yano said.

She said there was no phone call, no notice, and that if Springer did send a flier home with her teenager, it didn't reach her.

Yano said she has made phone calls to reserve a location but has no idea how much money she has to work with, so she sent a flier home with students asking that each pay $100 for the party. She said she thought her committee could throw a good party with the money that had already been raised, and that she was upset that some of it was earmarked for individual students.

About 25 people showed up for a meeting Thursday night to offer help, Yano said.

"At this point, I don't even care about 'he said, she said' sort of thing," she said. "We want Project Grad to happen for the kids. I don't want my child out after graduation."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.