The group in charge of Wish Week has been working hard to make it a reality. photo by Riley Rimkus
TJ’s Leadership students are working hard to fulfill a little girl’s dream.
For the entirety of its existence at Thomas Jefferson High School, the Leadership class has worked tirelessly to inspire the community and fully support its members. The newest undertaking by the class is its partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in an effort to help a seven year-old girl whose biggest dream is to visit Disneyland and meet Mickey Mouse.
Haven’s favorite color is turquoise. She wrestles and loves to play with Barbies. She is the epitome of what it means to be a child, young and hopeful and bright no matter the conditions. In her case, those conditions are dire. Haven was diagnosed with Thalamic Glioma, a cancerous, inoperable brain tumor. She is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, and through all those hardships, she has managed to keep a smile on her face. TJ’s Leadership class is looking forward to helping her fulfill her lifelong dream, and in order to do that, they need community involvement. “We really need everyone to show up and help us with our fundraising efforts,” said senior Sadie Perkins, a member of the Leadership team. “We’re working with several different restaurants and organizations and any help we can get from the community would be greatly appreciated.”
Over the next few weeks, restaurants such as Slices, Chipotle, Red Robin, Dutch Bros, and Birdcall will be pitching in to help Haven. The Slices fundraiser will take place from January 16th to 19th. Chipotle will be donating 33% of its proceeds on February 7th from 4-8 p.m., and Red Robin is donating proceeds from all sales on February 6th to help send Haven to Disneyland. Birdcall is also pitching in, donating a portion of their proceeds on January 31st to TJ. In order to help with fundraising efforts, members of the community can follow the TJ Instagram at @tj.spartans to find the promo codes for use at those generous restaurants.
The Leadership class will host multiple events over the next few months to support Haven. The week leading up to February 10th is Wish Week, a week full of spirit days similar to the ones before prom and homecoming. However, Wish Week’s theme is Haven: her interests, her hobbies, all of the things that make her who she is. Haven is, clearly, Disney-obsessed, and the spirit days of the week are based on that. Monday February 5th is ‘Sleeping Beauty’ themed, and students should wear their pajamas or whatever else they feel fits the theme. Tuesday will be a version of twin day: ‘Tweedledee and Tweedledum.’ Wednesday is ‘Ohana Day,’ or beach day. Thursday is ‘Disney Day,’ and Friday is TJ day, just like every other spirit week. Finally, February 10th is the ‘Where Dreams Come True’ dance. All proceeds from that night will go towards Haven, and an anonymous donor has also decided to match all donations up to $2,000 on any given day. In addition, the Leadership class will be hosting a couple of entertaining events at pep rallies and in the halls while raising money for Haven.
With enough community involvement, the Leadership students can and will make Haven’s dream come true. Even the smallest donation can make a world of difference. The link to donate is linked here, and the donation website contains even more information about Make-A-Wish and Haven.
For the TJ community – be sure to keep an eye out for all of the upcoming events. Not only will they be entertaining, but they will help make a difference for a family who has been plagued by tragedy. Both Haven and the Leadership class truly appreciate the help.
graphic by Amaris Medina
