When Brock and his family walked onto the assembly floor this past Friday, the Verrado community received a living reminder of why “Wish Week” matters. Two years ago, Vipers raised the funds to grant Brock’s wish; this year, that same spirit of generosity was reignited for five-year-old Delilah. Through a coordinated effort by StuGo, local businesses, and campus groups, Verrado High School successfully raised over $10,600 this season, ensuring that while Delilah battles lymphoma, her community is fighting right alongside her to make her Disney World dreams a reality.
For those who need a recap, the last assembly before Winter Break is an example of how the money raised from previous years remains in the fond memories and hearts of these families.
Brock, another child in the Make-A-Wish program, was one of the children Verrado raised money for two years ago. He and his family made a surprise appearance at the assembly.
His father made a statement saying how grateful he was that we were able to give Brock his wish.
Mrs. Angela Summers, StuGo advisor, shared, “It makes you understand that there are people out there that have bigger problems than what we think our problems are, and it gives us something to focus on and unite us together for that common goal.”
What many may not know is that once the goal for Delilah is fulfilled, the remaining proceeds go towards other kids whose wishes were not quite met.
“Once we go over 10,000, then it actually helps other kids whose wishes weren’t quite fulfilled, so we can get theirs done too,” Summers added.
It’s amazing what can be accomplished within one week of fundraising, but we also need to acknowledge what is done behind the scenes when it comes to making a wish come true.
Leeann Russ, the treasurer of STUGO at Verrado, gives us a more in-depth insight into the outcome and how Verrado’s Make-A-Wish Week was planned and executed, saying, “We ended up raising $10,621. We officially reached our goal and are super happy!”
Russ explained that Verrado StuGo plans months and months and has many committees in charge of all aspects of the week-long event. StuGo creates teams of students for the incentives committee, fundraising, posters, the assembly, etc. “Each member of StuGo plays a vital role in helping, along with all of the businesses and school groups like NHS, boys soccer, and theater that donated.”
The president of StuGo, Emily Valencia, said, “Wish Week is something our student council looks forward to planning every year because it brings our entire school community together for a cause bigger than ourselves. Months of preparation go into coordinating everything from spirit days and lunch activities to assemblies and fundraisers, but seeing the energy and support from student staff and families makes it all worth it.”
She explained that reaching Verrado’s fundraising goal following our Friday assembly was an incredibly exciting and heartfelt moment, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to make such a meaningful impact. “Having Brock’s family there to support and contribute made the week even more impactful, and hearing Brock speak during the assembly served as a moving reminder of what Wish Week is truly about and the difference it can make for families.”
The community outreach officer, Ayanna Gayles, adds onto these thoughts, telling us, “These events and your participation allowed us to raise enough money for not only Delilah’s wish but also enough to help contribute to another kid’s wish as well. Student government is proud to showcase all of our hard work and accomplishments and as the only school in the district to host Wish Week, it is truly our honor to successfully grant her wish with the help of everyone at Verrado. Thank you all for your contributions and support.”
Moments like these are special for the Verrado community, and it’s why Wish Week remains such an important tradition.