By Madilynn Wilcox

Pueblo County High School rock bands performed music for the school during all three lunch periods on Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23. The student rock bands, there are two of them, played in the courtyard. The bands performed many different songs, from different eras,  for students to enjoy. The weather was great. The atmosphere was fun. The bands appeared to make others happy.

Photos by Kaylina Frates

By: Laura Segura
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On March 13, 2025, Pueblo County High School DECA hosted a successful silent auction in front of the main office from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. DECA teacher Ms. Sandusky, sponsored the event, which raised a total of $1,097 for 14-year-old Jesùs to help grant his wish to meet his favorite wrestler. The auction featured an impressive selection of items, including gift baskets, jewelry, cookies, Stanley cups, PCHS hats and sweatshirts, ground beef in coolers, and many other exciting items. 
Senior Andre Murrah said, “ The silent auction had a lot to offer, and this limited edition green Stanley Cup piqued my interest. Overall, I enjoyed browsing and placing bids to see if I won anything.” 
The silent auction allowed students, faculty, and community members to bid on various goods, with all proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish. Sandusky worked hard to ensure everything ran smoothly, with the auction offering an opportunity for the school community to come together for a fun and rewarding experience.
Online donations to Make-A-Wish Colorado can be made at wish.org/colorado. 

By: Addison Scott
On March 19, 2025, Pueblo County High School will hold a Make-A-Wish assembly, a fundraiser for the non-profit organization. The foundation raises money and promotes awareness for those who face terminal and life-devastating health and physical challenges. The message is that a simple donation can save someone’s life. 
This Make-A-Wish Week, in particular, is collecting cereal boxes. DECA and the Student Council classes have already contributed by bringing as many boxes as possible. However, students all through the school are welcome to chip in because, in the end, anything helps!
 The significance behind cereal is that Jesu͑s, the Make-A-Wish kid for County High, suffers from a nervous system disorder and this is one of the few snacks he can enjoy. 
DECA teacher, Ms.Sandusky states, “Jesu͑s loves cereal and we are always able to do games, so we thought we would do something fun for him, and is a great way to give back for what Jesu͑s has gone through. We will continue decorating and following the themes he likes.” 
The cereal boxes correspond with a race to see which contestant can successfully knock down all their boxes in just one take. Sandusky also says, “The winners of the cereal box race will be rewarded with a cereal breakfast and it is hope we can get so much cereal to the point we can give back to Jesu͑s and even donate to local food banks.” 
Tickets will be given out throughout the week for students to write their names on and be drawn from a raffle. It is great for the students to get involved with school activities and socialization, but it will undoubtedly serve the happiness of 14-year-old Jesu͑s.”
Amazingly, Pueblo County High School has the power to come together for a common cause every year. They have been able to engage in events like food trucks and attend restaurants, auctions, assemblies, and simple school activities specified for each day of the week. 
The school community will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that even those who don’t have the same opportunities can live their life to the fullest. In this case, while Jesu͑s has already met his idol, John Cena, this counts as a “Reverse Wish Week” to help fund him for his necessities and health. It can be an emotional moment, and it is your turn to change Jesu͑s’s life by giving anything you have, whether small or big, to provide hope and inspire others to do the same. 
Any online donations you want to make toward Make-A-Wish Colorado can be made at wish.org/colorado. 

By Brynnley Prijatel 

A different activity occurs during Make-A-Wish week at Pueblo County High School during all three lunch periods. 
The Cheeto Beard will be an activity at lunch, to encourage the students to donate to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. They sold Cheetos to throw at the teachers' faces covered with shaving foam. Mr. Grossen, Mr, Colletti, Mrs. Ruiz, Mr. Koshak, Ms. Bailey, Ms. Sciacca and Mr.Mead all took part during their lunchtime for a great cause.

Followed by the Cheeto Beard, you also got the chance to guess the amount of candy in the jar, the winner of which will be announced on Wednesday, March 19. Another lunchtime activity is playing loud, annoying music to encourage donations. Teachers also sang karaoke during lunch, helping raise money for Wish Week. Ms. Fodor, Ms. Lay, Ms. Morgan, Ms. Thomas, Ms. Gribble, and Mr. Arguello all participated.

The last lunch activity will be a pie in the face to teachers. Students will pay money to throw a pie at select teachers. 

These activities are a fundraiser for the Wish Week. These activities get students excited for the fun activities ahead and encourage all students to donate. 

Freshman, Ben Hildebrand explains “The lunchtime activities motivate me and friends to donate due to the annoying sounds that disrupt my peace.”


Online donations to Make-A-Wish Colorado can be made at wish.org/colorado 

By: Jaylee Holland

PCHS DECA planned a week and a half of fundraising. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a non-profit organization that grants life-changing wishes to children facing critical illnesses. Founded in 1980, the organization has granted millions of wishes worldwide, each unique and personalized to the child’s dreams and desires.
On Wednesday, March 13, 2025, the Make-A-Wish spirit week began during the Make-A-Wish Kick-Off assembly at Pueblo County High School. This spirit week will include: superhero day, NFL Day, Lucky Green Day, Y2K Day, and Make-A-Wish Shirt Day. 
During this week, other activities and fundraising take place. Friday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday restaurants will donate some of their profit to this year's Make-A-Wish Kid. Along with in-school activities to make the week more exciting!
Spirit weeks are a great way to create inclusivity and teamwork. It also encourages people to participate regardless of background or personality. Balancing fun and dressing for an overall valuable cause.


Online donations to Make-A-Wish Colorado can be made to wish.org/colorado. 

By Colt Antle

The Penny Stall is a popular and traditional money-maker for the Make A Wish week held at Pueblo County High School. Students can bring in pennies or buy rolls of pennies from DECA to give to their third hour teachers. 
The teachers then have to spend all their time counting all the pennies students have brought in, class cannot begin or continue until the teacher has finished counting all pennies. Some can take ten minutes while others can take up to two or three class periods. 
Junior, Regan Avila, “I am a part of DECA and really love helping the kids.” Avila went to her car and gathered all her change in order to contribute to a worthy cause. 
There are some teachers who don’t partake in the counting of pennies and just treat class as if it were a regular day. All that matters is that the money still goes to a worthy cause in the end.  



Online donations to Make-A-Wish Colorado can be made to wish.org/colorado. 

​By Isabella Martinez 

Make a Wish is a nonprofit organization that grants kids their wishes when they have critical illnesses. This organization, founded in 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona, has now made its way across 50 countries. 

The wishes can be various things, such as meeting a celebrity or visiting their dream vacation. Regardless of the wish, it brightens the children’s lives. Make a Wish is built from donations and sponsors to help make these wishes come true. 

Varsity player Jaylee Holland, “My girls' soccer team is trying to go to Noodles tonight as a team after practice, I usually always get pad thai.” 

Wish Dish Night is when restaurants contribute a night for the “Make a Wish Program”. It is a fundraiser to raise money for the Wish Child. Pueblo County has been doing “Make a Wish” for years.  

The Wish Dish Nights consist of the following:
Wednesday, March, 12, Texas Roadhouse 5-8 p.m.
Thursday, March 13, Food Trucks, 4:30 - 8 p.m.
Friday, March 14, Buffalo Wild Wings 3-9 p.m.
Sunday,  March 16, Panda Express 5-9 p.m.
Monday, March 17, Noodles 4-8 p.m.
Tuesday, March 18, Culvers 5-9 p.m.

Online donations to Make-A-Wish Colorado can be made at wish.org/coloardo.

​By Colt Antle

On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Pueblo County High School held its annual Make A Wish kick-off assembly to announce the start of Make A Wish week. 
DECA Sponsor Ms. Sandusky and DECA students are starting Make A Wish by informing and reminding everyone about why we participate in Make A Wish. 
This year, PCHS’ “Make A Wish Kid” is 14-year-old Jesus with a nervous system disorder. The school halls were decorated with Jesus’s favorite hobbies, cartoon characters, football team, and favorite wrestler. Jesus’ wish is to meet famous WWE wrestler John Cena. 

Also, two fathers, Karl Streyle and Carlin Pino, previous recipients of Make A Wish Kids grants, came up to speak to everyone about the power of a wish and how their kids’, Kinsley Streyle and Poppy Pino, wish being granted has impacted them. 

At the end of the assembly, all the events featured for the week were announced, with the DECA duck hunt, teacher Cheeto's Beard, guess the amount of candy in the jar, and the Texas Roadhouse event being the ones to start on Wednesday. 

For Jesus to get his wish granted, PCHS needs to raise $250,000. There are ways to donate online as well as in person. 

There are posters around the school with QR codes where people can donate and posters advertising all the fundraising events and opportunities on the horizon. Come on, Hornets, we can do this. As Mr. Dilka, the principal, stated, “Hornets grant wishes.”