For more than four decades, Make-a-Wish has granted over 500,000 wishes to children battling critical illnesses. Each wish brings more than happiness, it delivers hope, joy, and a renewed strength to them and their families’ unimaginable challenges.

Rocky Mountain High School has just finished its fifth successful year partnering with Make-a-Wish Colorado, and our impact continues to grow. This year alone, the school set out to raise $20,000 in a single week. To pull off this incredible feat, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes.

Wish Week is led by the Wish Week Committee, a group of students and staff who coordinate every fundraiser and event. Mrs. Nickel, who oversees the committee, shared, “The Wish Week planning team is always super enthusiastic about setting a goal, and I always worry that we’re not going to get there. I didn’t know how our community would step up–but we always do.”

This statement speaks volumes to Rocky’s incredible culture. Year after year, our community consistently raises to the challenge to support others. Even this year, following a huge Adopt A family and amid an economy with financial pressures, our community not only met our goal but surpassed it by $2,000. With that, our five year challenge has surpassed $100,000.

The average wish costs $7,500. Based on that estimate, Rocky has granted at least 13 wishes. Not all wishes cost the same amount, some are even free thanks to Make-A-Wish’s corporate sponsors.
Raising over $10 per student is a huge accomplishment, which Mrs. Nickel attributes to “The giving nature of our community. Our community always wants to give back and provide for things that are good in the world.” Seeing Gavin and his family at the Wish Week assembly inspired our community to help support kids like him.

So, where is all of this money coming from? Let’s break it down.

Rocky’s largest fundraiser continues to be the homeroom change drive, which raised an incredible $11,299.33 this year. Nearly every homeroom contributed, but several classes went above and beyond raising hundreds, even $1000 each. This year, the new “change stall” was a big factor in this contribution.

Wish Week t-shirt sales brought in $2,260, thanks in part to a standout design created by the Rocky Ace Program. For the first time this year, long sleeve shirts were sold in addition to short sleeved t-shirts.

Restaurant fundraisers at Mod Pizza, Noodles, and Café Mex contributed approximately $800, although final totals are still being calculated.
“Miracle Minutes” at wrestling, unified, and basketball games raised a remarkable $1324. In just a few high energy moments, our community rallied together, showing that small donations can add up quickly.

Online fundraising accounted for $2,622, allowing extended family and community members to get involved.
The Dutch Bros fundraiser raised $1,017, while the prom and parking spot raffles raised $228. Peer Valentine sales, the Lobo Cafe, French Club, and Stuco concession donations collectively raised another $700.

Alone, each fundraiser can seem modest. Together, they tell a bigger story. A community committed to creating a difference in every way they can. From spare change in homerooms, to raffles, to miracle minutes, every dollar shows that we care. Wish week is more than a fundraiser. It is a tradition showing Rocky’s spirit, proof that when our community comes together, extraordinary things can happen.