In recognition of the $14,000 they raised to benefit Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee this school year, Ravenwood High School students hosted a wish announcement for Mary Katherine Rankin. The five-year-old, who suffers from a cardiac condition, learned that her wish to go to Walt Disney World® Resort and meet the princesses is coming true. The announcement featured a school assembly with students dressed as Disney characters, and a tea party with the princesses followed.
When Mary Katherine heads to Florida, she is most looking forward to meeting the Beast from Beauty and the Beast. She also wants to meet the superhero villains so she can prove her bravery and show she’s “not scared of them.”
Students raised funds as a part of Make-A-Wish’s Kids For Wish Kids® initiative. The program encourages a philanthropic spirit in students and engages them in fundraising efforts to help grant the wishes of local children.
Ravenwood is a longtime supporter of Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee’s Kids For Wish Kids program, and this year is no different. Students have worked hard throughout the school year to raise money for Make-A-Wish. In the fall semester, the student council hosted the annual Dodge For A Cause dodgeball tournament, and in the spring, the annual Mr. RHS pageant.
“This was such a special day for Mary Katherine and our family,” said Amy Rankin, Mary Katherine’s mom. “We are truly humbled by all the students at RHS for how they help Make-A- Wish.”
“Ravenwood High School students really embrace the Kids For Wish Kids spirit,” said Grace Bingham, Senior Development Manager at Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee. “They really are ‘kids helping kids.’ Since the beginning of our partnership with Ravenwood, the students have raised almost $75,000, and they have set a great example for other Williamson County schools. We are grateful for the hard work and dedication they put forth to help us create life-changing wishes in Middle Tennessee.”
Currently, there are more than 200 children with critical illnesses, like Mary Katherine, who are waiting to have their wishes granted. To find out more about how the community can get involved or to make a donation, visit www.middletennessee.wish.org.
About Make-A-Wish® Middle Tennessee:
Together with its community of support, Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee grants wishes in 38 counties and has granted nearly 1,600 wishes since its founding in 2000. Nationally, Make-A-Wish grants a wish every 34 minutes and has granted more than 300,000 wishes in the United States since its inception in 1980. For more information about Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee, visit middletennessee.wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish.
