In 29 days, the Saint Pius community came together and granted the wish of Luis A. and his family to visit Disneyland. Not only was the fundraising goal reached quickly, but the combined efforts of SPX High School, St. Thomas Aquinas School, and Prince of Peace Catholic Church led the way for a statewide high school Make-A-Wish campaign record. The student led effort culminated on November 1st, when 2-year-old Luis and his family were presented with a check for $10,865.64.
The Make-A-Wish student run committee consists of Haley Rizek, Chair, Kelsey Piersol, Asst. Chair, Nikalus Skipp, Melissa Hipple, Nathan Barkocy, and Alexis Acosta. The committee organized the Make-A-Wish Week on campus. During the week a pep rally, volleyball game, and football game helped reach most of the $10,000 goal. The SPX student council, St. Thomas Aquinas School, and Prince of Peace Catholic Church contributed to help surpass the goal.
Sydney Graczyk, Make-A-Wish New Mexico Operations Manager, said during the check presentation that SPX is the first New Mexico high school to raise over $8,000 for its campaign. The normal high school fundraising goal is $5,000. When asked about the new record, Graczyk said, “All schools come together and do well, but they (SPX) really engaged the community in a way that a lot of schools aren’t able to do, and the support from staff, administration, and student buy-in really was key in making them successful.” The Make-A-Wish organization grants the wish of a child with a life-threatening medical diagnosis.
Mariah, Luis’s mother, also spoke to the assembled student body on November 1st. “First of all, I want to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication. We really appreciate everything that you’ve done. We’re going to take this time to forget about all the tears, the doctors appointments, and enjoy our time with Luis,” Mariah said. Luis’s family presented SPX with a painting and photograph of Luis in appreciation for the fundraising. The family plans to visit Disneyland in January to celebrate Luis’s 3rd birthday.