This November, AHS seniors Nakiri Gallagher-Cave and Kaia Vresilovic headed AHS wish week, fundraising to grant the wish of Jayke, who has spinal muscular atrophy.

“Setting up the fundraisers is really fun and knowing that we are helping someone who needs it,” Vresilovic said.

This effort is part of the Make a Wish Foundation, which helps grant wishes to children who are terminally ill. Vresilovic and Gallagher-Cave started the Make a Wish club, and this is their second year fundraising for the foundation, but this is the first year they are sponsoring a specific child.

Vresilovic and Gallagher-Cave started the club last year after they watched a TED Talk. This video described the lack of attention for childhood cancer, and it noted that only 4 percent of the National Cancer Institute funding is dedicated to childhood cancer research. Gallagher-Cave and Vresilovic were touched by the talk and wanted to help put the spotlight on this issue, and created AHS’s own “Make a Wish” club.

The Make a Wish Foundation focuses on children with terminally ill diseases and funds the grants for children’s wishes. According to the Make a Wish Foundation website, children can wish for absolutely anything, from meeting their favorite celebrity, traveling to Hawaii, getting a puppy, or even transforming into a pilot or mermaid for the day. Jayke (the child AHS is sponsoring) wishes to go on a Disney Cruise.

To help grant this wish, the club put together several fundraising efforts for “Wish Week.” On Monday during access they presented to the school and passed around donation baskets to each class for one minute to see which class could raise the most money. The freshman class was the winner, pooling almost $140, and in return was showered with candy.

All throughout the week, members from the club sold lolli-grams and “Make a Wish” bracelets for $2 each. Students could also write a message to Jayke on a blue star that was pasted on the red staircase, for free.

The main event was Friday.

“If you paid 5 dollars you could throw a pie tin of whipped cream at a teachers face. A bunch of teachers agreed to do it, and that was super kind of them,” said Vresilovic.  

Vresilovic explained that the ideas for fundraising were a collaborative effort between the Foundation and the members of the AHS club.

“It’s really fun and satisfying to be a part of a club where you can actually feel that you are making a difference. It gives us a specific goal because we have Jayke to fundraise for,” club member, Olivia Oksenhorn said.

Vresilovic and Gallaher-Cave are seniors, but plan on handing the club down so that it can continue to give back in future years.

“I really hope the clubs also raises awareness for whatever disease the child we fundraise for has, but also to bring together a very privileged community to give to the less fortunate,” Vresilovic said.