Groups That Keep Their Parties for Teen-Agers Aboveground

There are a number of organizations that sponsor so-called sober parties in Los Angeles.

Friday Night Live, a statewide program sponsored locally by the Los Angeles County Office of Education, promotes alcohol and drug-free activities. They vary from dances and pizza nights to ski trips and beach parties combined with school rallies and meetings that deal with alcohol and drug-related topics.

The program now reaches more than a dozen campuses, including Venice and Hollywood high schools. Chapters are being set up at Santa Monica and Beverly Hills high schools.

The Costa Mesa-based Grad Nite Foundation teaches parents how to organize graduation and prom parties. Students pick the themes of the parties and parents arrange all the details. Last year, 54 of Orange County’s 67 high schools participated in Grad Nite parties, according to the program’s executive director, Elaine Goodman. This year it is involved in planning Santa Monica High School’s June graduation party.

The student-run Boogie Down Productions in Beverly Hills and Kolo Inc. also promote alcohol and drug-free Westside parties.

Two parties held over the last year in an empty hangar at Santa Monica Airport each drew more than 700 high school students. They were co-sponsored by Kolo and the Santa Monica Cultural and Recreation Services Department.

“We want to provide teen-agers with safe parties that won’t be broken up by the police,” said Jasha Salter, a mother of two and the organization’s founder. “We’re here for those kids who want to say no.”