Leadership students have put energy and time into planning fun days for spirit week to fulfill Nani's wish. graphic by Simone DiFalco
As another spring semester kicks off, so does another Wish Week.
Wish Week is here once again! Even though the weather is cold, Thomas Jefferson High School is in store for a very summery week. Carefully thought out by the administration and the Leadership team, Wish Week is sure to warm the hearts of many this year.
This year, Wish Week’s goal is to raise $10,000 for 13-year-old Nani so that she can go to Hawaii to learn more about her culture. Nani, despite her young age, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Her favorite color is purple, and her favorite places to eat are Chick-Fil-A and Ocean Prime. She loves red velvet cake and Takis Blue Heat. She enjoys playing video games, her favorites being Mario Kart and Roblox. Her favorite movie is Moana and her favorite show is Bluey. Nani also enjoys Air Jordan sneakers, listening to Billie Eilish, fidget toys, and stuffed animals. To top it all off, Nani loves spending time with her family.
The theme this year is “Wishing for a Valentine,” and the spirit days are themed accordingly. Wish Week starts on Monday, February 9th, with the first theme being PJ Day to ease us into the week. On this day, be sure to bring a new stuffed animal to donate to Colorado Children’s Hospital. Leadership will also hold childhood-themed games in the gym during lunch such as Sneaky Statues and Parachute Play. On Tuesday, the theme is Beach Day, so even though it’s winter, be sure to wear your beach-themed outfits! At lunch beach games such as cornhole will be hosted in the gym. Wednesday is Twin Day, so coordinate an outfit with someone. To accompany this day, Leadership will host a huge volleyball game in the gym during lunch.
Thursday is Stoplight Day, where those in a relationship should wear purple, those in a weird in-between limbo should wear pink, and those who are single should wear white. Similarly to the Christmas caroling from Homecoming week, during fourth period leadership students will go from class to class serenading teachers and students. QR codes will be posted around the school for people to order a song for someone for the price of $5. People can either pay cash or donate on the Make A Wish site and put a note along with your donation to show Assistant Principal Jon Poole or another member of the admin team to prove your donation. All the funds raised from the spirit day events will go to kids like Nani. During lunch, leadership is hosting a “walk the plank” event. Students will vote for the teachers they want to see walk the plank (walk off the diving board and into the pool) and will get to watch the teacher with the most votes walk it live for the low price of $1.
Friday is TJ Day, so Spartans should wear TJ and Wish Week gear. It will be a shortened schedule due to the pep rally where TJ Spartans will have the opportunity to meet Nani and show how excited they are to help make her wish come true. On Valentine’s Day from 8-11 p.m., Leadership will host a Valentine’s-themed dance. Tickets are $10 for singles and $15 for doubles. This year, TJ is trying out a new DJ by the name of David Jaynes. Junior Izzie Srodulski stated she chose him because “he DJ’d a sweet sixteen over the summer and did a really amazing job of mixing the songs and fitting the music to the flow and overall vibe of the party.” He was willing to decrease his rate for the cause. During the dance, students will be able to vote for one boy and girl from each grade who will be crowned as royalty.
TJ will undoubtedly succeed in fulfilling Nani’s dream given the amount of effort and commitment that Leadership has shown. The TJ community can help make Nani and her family feel special during a difficult time with Spartan support. The contribution link is available here and in the bio of TJ Leadership’s Instagram account, @tjhs.leadership, for anyone who wants to contribute.
