Cascade High School invites community to grant student wishes with second annual giving event

LEAVENWORTH — Cascade High School is inviting the community to help make students’ wishes come true this giving season with the second annual Winter Wishes event.

“Honestly, this is one of the most heart-warming events I’ve ever helped orchestrate. It’s inspiring to witness the generosity of the Leavenworth community, and the students who help distribute gifts and facilitate Winter Wishes genuinely love being part of it,” said Leadership teacher Roselyn Robison.

For the 2025 Winter Wishes event, every student made one wish for themselves and one wish for a friend. Now, the school is asking the community to help grant these wishes. The wishes span a variety of things, from a pizza or new soccer ball, to funding for drama club or help with paying for college.

“We ask students to make a wish for a friend to reinforce that this event is just as much about giving as it is about receiving. The wishes they make are often incredibly thoughtful and heartwarming. Last year—and again this year—we saw students wishing for genuinely kind things,” said Robison.

This year, Robison added, a student wished for their teacher to be recognized for all of the work they do for the school and its students — a wish that event organizers are working hard to make come true.

The giving tradition was inspired by similar events held at other high schools, said Robinson. She and her son Thayer had visited a freshman at college, who was excited to return home for winter break in time for his former high school’s Winter Wishes assembly — an event so large that the wishes are granted for a week straight, followed by a two-hour livestream giving event. 

Under the guidance of Robison, Thayer and other Leadership students organized the inaugural CHS event last year.

“The most impactful part last year was seeing how thoughtfully students made wishes for their friends. It showed real awareness of what others needed or would appreciate. This year, I hope to see that same level of consideration and involvement from the student body,” said Thayer Robison. 

Roselyn Robison said two of her standout moments in last year’s Winter Wishes event were a student jumping for joy when a community member paid off his lunch debt, as well as CHS alumna Ethan Davis having a beaming smile on his face while he delivered wishes to recipients.

This year, the event will be led by Thayer Robison and Micah Wilder, who are both enrolled in Eastern Washington University’s Event Management and Planning course. As such, Robison and Wilder reviewed last year’s pilot run, interviewed students and administration (their “clients”), analyzed the previous Leadership event review, and made adjustments based on their findings, such as advertising the event earlier, and securing an entire half of the school day for the event.

“Both Thayer and Micah immediately volunteered—they wanted to help create something magical for their peers. It’s humbling to see how much joy they find in giving to others, and how much selfless effort they put into making these wishes come true,” said Robison.

Every student in the Leadership class has also taken on the responsibility of fulfilling at least one wish, working closely with school administration and local businesses to ensure as many wishes are granted as possible, said Robison.

“I think this community-involved event is very important to all of our students as it gives them an opportunity to receive a gift that they might not receive otherwise. This brings high spirits to our school and outside of our school when kids are sent home with a thoughtful gift wished by a friend,” said Wilder.

The community can participate in the Winter Wishes event by purchasing an item to grant from the wish list and delivering it to the CHS Main Office, with the wish number clearly marked, before Dec. 15. All gifted items will be delivered to students between Dec. 15 and 19. Larger gifts will be revealed at the Winter Wish event on Dec. 19.

“It also makes the community feel like they're making an impact by lighting up some students' day,” said Wilder. “I think that the community really shows in times like this, as we are a community that cares for our students and others. That's what makes this a community that I want to live in.”

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media