Owasso Kids Impacting Everyone

By McKenna Worsham

Photo of Brice Lander and Shania Valdivia taken by Avary Canarte.

This past week, Owasso Student Council’s philanthropy officers partnered with Make-A-Wish Oklahoma to make an amazing impact within the school and community! Raising money with events of all kinds (bake sales, valentine/winter grams, restaurant nights, community bingo night, etc.), OHS Philanthropy raised $20,227.74 during OKIE Week. This money was used to grant a local kid, Aaron, his wish. The leftover money that was raised for OKIE Week was given to Make-A-Wish, in order to spread joy and grant even more wishes. 

“Our goal was really to bring Owasso together as one!” Shania Valdivia, junior philanthropy officer, exclaims. 

And that is exactly what OKIE Week did. By bringing together the Student Council, not only at the high school but at all three of Owasso’s middle schools, OKIE Week was talked about all across town. In every Owasso school, it is easy to find people who want to help others achieve their dreams; that is what OKIE Week is all about. 

Brice Lander, senior philanthropy officer, states, “Not only did we want to make an impact to the high school students, but to the middle school students as well…it was [also] open for the community to help us.” 

Each middle school helped raise $1,000-$3,000 during the week alongside all the money raised throughout the different community events the high school put on. Owasso’s Student Council was striving for the younger students in our community to help make a difference, no matter their age. 

“Now we have the partnerships of all the middle schools’ student councils…making OKIE Week a tradition at their school and raising money,” Lander says proudly. 

At OHS, as well as the middle schools, throughout the week there were dress-up days. The theme this year was “The 80s!” Weeks like this are a big hit, especially with fun dress-up days like Pajama Day and Surfers vs. Bikers. 

These dress-up days brought in a lot of traction for OKIE Week, along with a lot of donations to the Make-A-Wish fund. 

OKIE Week was never just for the schools, it was for the community of Owasso, and after a long day at school in pajamas and 80s gear, the community took to different restaurants and businesses to further the OKIE Week spirit. 

“Our fundraisers consisted of restaurant nights. We had a Family Fun Night [and] we even had a Bingo Night with all of the community,” Valdivia states. 

Photo of Brice Lander and Aaron taken by Cambry Shields.

The goal of OKIE Week was to spread love in the schools and community and that was definitely achieved. Granting Aaron’s wish to go meet the Paw Patrol characters at Nickelodeon Universe this May, OKIE Week made a huge impact on his life, as well as all of the community! This very first OKIE Week clearly shows that Owasso Kids can (and are) Impacting Everyone.