NEWPORT BEACH : Party Shaping Up at Newport Harbor

Graduation night at Newport Harbor High School is like few others. At a school where many students drive Range Rovers and dress like the cast of “Beverly Hills 90210,” an extravagant party is par for the course.

Every year, parents raise thousands of dollars for the annual bash in the school gym, and this year is no exception, with a nearly $30,000 affair planned for graduation night June 16.

About 270 students will attend the party, called “Jammin’ Jamaica.” The organizing committee is keeping some secrets about the party but did disclose that some of the school’s traditional favorites--mock gambling casinos, palm readers and fake tattoo artists--are among the offerings. The party, which runs from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., will also offer a live band and disc jockeys, along with refreshments and grand prizes worth hundreds of dollars.

The idea, say parents involved, is to give students a place to go that won’t be filled with raucous drinking and partying for which other graduation parties have been notorious.

“It’s a safe night for kids,” said Karen Fratantaro, one of four parents who are the main organizers of the event.

The parents have been working two days a week since March organizing the party and soliciting donations, which range from fancy door prizes to time donated by professional architects who designed the set that transforms the gym into Jamaica. And a group of parents plan to work full time every day in the two weeks before the event.

Tickets to the party are $45, and a few scholarships are available for students who cannot afford the entrance fee. Once inside, students are not allowed to leave before the party ends at 4 a.m. unless their parents are notified and give their permission.