Silence envelopes the gym and anticipation builds as Student Council (StuCo) members flip boards with numbers, revealing the grand total of money raised during Wish Week.

$49,921.91… but wait, that doesn’t seem right.

Switch that four and nine. 

$94,921.91 is now shown in front of the gym, as gasps and a standing applause roar through the crowd.

The annual Wish Week closing assembly took place Feb. 8 in the school gym from 2:10-2:50 p.m. 

The school’s 15th Wish Kid, Kiki, was chosen to be part of the Jag family forever. She was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and her wish was to have a tea party with her favorite princesses in Hawaii. 

The assembly began with a video recap of the week made by Rock Canyon Television (RCTV), honoring Kiki and events throughout the week, followed by Kiki and the choir singing “Part of Your World” from the Disney Movie “The Little Mermaid.” Simultaneously, her older brother Demitri had his head shaved by their older sibling and StuCo member Hannah Peppler ‘24. 

Throughout the week leading up to the assembly, teachers from the math department put out buckets to collect donations for a specific teacher to get pied in the face by Kiki. The two final contestants were math teachers Tony Koy and Austin Bennett. Bennett was announced the winner, having over $500 in his bucket. 

Raising $94,921.91, Jags granted Kiki’s wish along with 11 other Wishes and broke the school’s record for the most amount of money raised during Wish Week.

“There was something special this year, even from the opening assembly and walking around and seeing all the decorations. You could just tell more hearts went into this week, and for y’all to set such an amazing fundraising record is truly humbling,” Make-A-Wish Director of Community Development Sarah Grosh said.   

According to Grosh, Rock Canyon has been Make-A-Wish Colorado’s longest-standing school supporter, meeting 15 kids and granting 123 wishes.

“You’re the only school that has supported us for 15 years and it really speaks volumes about the commitment you have and how much you really understand why wishes matter. It’s just a really special experience to see what Wish Week does for a community but also for the families that are featured,” Grosh said.

StuCo began planning Wish Week back in December, coordinating activities such as Walk-for-Wishes, Black Light Dodgeball, Movie Night, restaurant sponsorships, decorations and spirit days to honor all of Kiki’s favorites.

Student Council Advisor and Spanish teacher Hannah Klein has been part of StuCo for four years and shares her experience as part of the managing team.

“We have a Wish Week executive team that helps divide the class into five committees: Walk-for-Wishes, Movie Night and Dodgeball, Hype, Decorating and Advertising,” Klein said. “Each Wish costs about $7,500, so we average out whatever we make and that’s how many Wishes we’re able to grant.” 

The Jags began the Wish Week tradition in Douglas County 15 years ago and used to be advised by Social Studies teacher Kate Hartline.

“We started with only one goal, the single goal of granting a single Wish and I had no idea what to expect. It started from a group of students that had worked with Make-A-Wish and volunteered with them and had heard about a way that high school students could get involved in helping and supporting the foundation. [Wish Week] was the idea that was presented and we kind of went with it,” Hartline said.

According to DCSD, nine Douglas County High Schools participate in Wish Week: Castle View, Douglas County, Highlands Ranch, Legend, Mountain Vista, Ponderosa, SkyView Academy and Rock Canyon High School.

“To be honest, we were the first school to do it anywhere. It was an idea that had been done in other schools like 10 or 15 years prior to when Rock Canyon started it and we were the first school that I know of in this area that did Wish Week the way we did it, and it’s exploded gigantically,” Hartline said.

In attendance at the closing assembly, Kiki’s mom, Desiree, was in the audience, recording videos throughout and watching as Jags unveiled the amount of money and Wishes that were granted. 

“I’m shocked but I’m so glad that my daughter could help other kids also get a Wish,” Desiree said. “That [Rock Canyon], with your generosity, have all come together as a team really for this effort, it’s just amazing. Really amazing.” 

Click to watch a Wish Week Recap from FOX31 Denver on the school’s Wish Week and assembly.

Gallery • 16 Photos

media by Abigail Wood

Student Body Vice President Cale Maguire ‘24 speaks into the microphone as Student Body President Abigail Williams ‘24 reads her paper before speaking in front of the school March 8. The pair both spoke on the accomplishments of the week, and revealed the final amount of money that was raised to make 12 wishes come true.