Students Rally Money and Support for a Child in Need

By Aimee L. Cook

West Valley - The student body officers from Hunter High School attended a leadership camp over the summer at Dixie State University, along with their advisor, Phaedra Johnson, and the experience ended up being life-changing for many. 

One of the workshops that the students could attend was on service presented by the Make-A-Wish organization. Senior activities officer, Nesley Carbajal, took the opportunity to attend the workshop and immediately felt a call to action that she discussed with her fellow student body officers and their advisor.

“We committed to sponsoring a wish after Daniel Dudley [of Make-A-Wish] came and spoke to the student body officers and myself,” Johnson said. “He had us go to the Make-A-Wish house and tour the facility, and we got to see all the other kids who had gotten wishes. My students were really fired up about it.”

They were given the wish of a 7-year-old boy named Carson who suffered from a brain tumor. His wish was to visit the Florida theme parks.

“We fell in love with Carson. We really wanted to help him out,” Nesley said. “We all came up with the ideas for the challenges, and wanted them to be gross and fun to watch. This experience made me realize that there are people out there that really do need money for a purpose, and we all felt good about making his wish come true.”

The group came up with a list of activities and created a large thermometer to help them keep track of the money received. The officers would take donations every day at lunch, and when certain monetary goals were met, a challenge would be completed. Enough money was raised that all but one of the challenges were met. 

“At the final assembly, Carson and his family were there,“ Johnson said. “We did a miracle minute collection and asked the crowd to donate what they had in a minute, and we made over $1000 just from that. “

 When Carson and his family were presented with his wish, there was silence in the room. 

“At that moment, everyone was just proud to be a part of Hunter High School,” Nesley said. “He only responded two words: ‘Thank you.’”

The completed challenges made by the student body officers were:

$250-Eat dog food

$500-Boys waxed their legs 

$750- Eat mystery pies

$1000-Drink raw eggs

$2000-Eat dried crickets

$4000-Football coach drenched with ice water 

Total donation=$4500.