Today, Feb. 4, Mountain Vista’s 2019 Wish Week opened with a bang. Like every year, dedicated members of Student Leadership (StudLe) lined school entryways, welcoming their classmates with smiles, high fives and this year’s purple neuroblastoma ribbons.

At about 10 a.m., students sporting last year’s blue Be A Good Person shirts made their way into the gym for the opening Wish Week assembly. Senior Jensen Baade started the assembly with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem on his violin.

StudLe presented a 108 foot long beaded string to the student body. Student body president Maya Winslow, senior, explained each bead represents a step in past Wish Kids’ treatments, such as doctors appointments, surgeries and chemotherapy treatments. “Through all the craziness that goes on think about the light you can give to others and your effect and how much it means to other people. A smile, a high five, a dollar, a whatever, you have no idea how big your impact spreads,” teacher and StudLe adviser Lindsey Jaffe said.

Despite a tragic weekend, Vista Poms preformed a heartfelt dance dedicated to Marlee, Kenyan, Gabby and Chad, featuring music from Vista’s Goldtones and junior Kobby Adu.

Senior Caden Kroonenberg presented a video (click here) outlining this week’s events and introducing Chad Isaacs: The Wish Warrior.

Following his video, StudLe and MV Unit introduced a cheer dedicated to Chad that will be performed during this Friday’s mens basketball game against Legend High School.

Finally, guest speakers from Make-A-Wish, Stacie Winslow and Sarah Grosh, thanked Vista for our dedication to their mission.

Later that night, Buffalo Wild Wings opened their doors to hungry Vista students and families. A portion of their proceeds would be later contributed as a donation to our school’s Wish Week.

Lines formed outside the doors to the Mission Hills Church auditorium well before 7 p.m. for the annual Vista Idol. Seniors AJ Stevens and Jack Page introduced all 11 acts and athletic director Jim Flannigan, assistant principal Heidi Schuster and math teacher Brian Wood judged the performances. Senior Aaron Hart stole the show with his original song “Starry Night.”

Photos by Soren Brockway, Annabelle Kiely, Greyson Koinzan, Audrey Lyp, Michael Place, Lexi Riga, Hannah Corbet-Thiele, and Molly Houser