On April 23, teachers Michael Garcia, Shayna Ambers and Laura Fangman, engaged in a Wish Week dare in which they would participate in a football practice. During Wish Week, students had a goal of donating up to $18,000, in which different donation benchmarks had teacher dares as a reward. Ambers, Garcia and Fangman engaged in drills with student athletes after Emerson met the $14,000 benchmark. Ambers and Garcia attended a football practice and Fangman participated in the soccer practice.

Wish Week dares have allowed a more casual connection between teachers and students, giving students a chance to see a side of their teacher that they might not have known was there.

“I like that they are not only a good incentive for people to donate to a good cause,” Ambers said. “…[They’re] also a way that we can make memories as a campus and further build the culture.”

Getting to play a sport for the first time may have proved to be difficult, but it still allowed Ambers to feel excitement and readiness during the offense and defense football drills. 

“I pleasantly surprised myself,” Ambers said. “I punted the ball… like 20 yards…For me that was really far.”

As time goes on, activities from childhood may be distant, but Wish Week allowed teachers to have fun and create memories with students. Garcia allowed his inner child to come out and have fun during football practice.

“…It made me feel like a little kid again,” Garcia said. “…The constant noise, the rushing, the music. Seeing people hit each other… that was like middle school.”

All in all, the Wish Week dare to join a sports practice was another task that allowed for the creation and strengthening of school relationships.

“ I think the whole aspect of Wish Week is when they see these teachers who they[have] spent eight hours with every single day since August, do something silly…” Garcia said. “… But also show that the teachers have buy-in as well as the students, where it’s … a collective school process.”