Hello Olympians!
This past Saturday, December 14th 2024 we held our 10th annual Shop with an Oly! This year our National Honor Society students and sponsor, Paula Weder, led this amazing event. We are so grateful for the hard work they all put in to make it all happen!
Every year Gateway High School hosts Shop with an Oly, where our Gateway students come together to raise money and support lil olys from our feeder elementary schools. This year we supported 60 families with gifts for the holiday season! We would like to personally thank the following people & groups who supported NHS these past 5 months in preparation of Shop With an Oly, including:
- Marie Valencia for all things money & ordering as well as her guidance along the way. All hail the Queen of Shop With an Oly!
- Paul Jefferson & Evelyn Ortega-Loera for building, bus, & logistics coordination. Moreover, their guidance & moral support in this work.
- Alysa Weiss, Jeremy Shumpert, Jazmin Lopez, & Dackri Davis for the “I’ve Worn that Hat” willingness to share about their SWAO Lead facilitator experience.
- Our Elementary School contacts, supports & families: THANK YOU Arkansas, Clara Brown, Dartmouth, Iowa, Jewell, Tollgate, Virginia Court, & Yale. Special shout out to the Staff members who coordinated Lil' Oly sourcing, paperwork and outreach. Your work was top notch. Additionally, thank you to the staff representatives who attended on Saturday. We applaud you all and your very big role in getting all of the 2024 Lil' Olys to Shop With an Oly.
- John Portelle & his entire team for running our SWAO Press like it was election cycle press coverage. Your continued stories beginning the week of 9/9 were top notch!
- Cristina Cervantes for all of our color printing needs & her event space eye in helping to set up Friday night.
- Felicia Patterson-Marrufo for fundraising and data entry support.
- Misti Smith & her mother for the donation of handmade scarves that we sold to fund the event and donate to our families.
- The District Credit Union, MinuteMen Press & Ad Cellerant Denver for their financial, food and supply support of the event. Additionally thank you to Kelly Pham & Mandy Cakir for their support at Saturday’s event.
- Eddie Baker & Schoolfundr for helping to jumpstart our fundraising.
- Our staff & student sponsor supports. Your donations, whether materials, cash or time made SWAO possible.
- Our Raise to Shave participants for losing their hair to sponsor our Lil’ Olys.
- Target on Alameda for welcoming us. Thank you to Matt & Dana for their support throughout the launch and on Saturday.
- Frank & Jim from APS Transportation, who along with Kyle Hirsch & Jon Justis, operated the nearly 60 degree Polar Express shuttle back and forth between Gateway and Target. Thank you for keeping all of our Olys safe!
- Jimmy Tees for our Lil’ Oly shirts this year!
- Our custodial team for their patience with our late night & Saturday decorations work as well as support of all building needs! Thank you Eduardo for everything. Huge shout out to Brian for his steady “I’m on my way” for every single ask over the walkie from me on Saturday.
- Megan Rains & her team for the cookies and frosting donations.
- Our Case Manager team for opening their supply closet for our Lil’ Oly families.
- Ms. Mika for coordinating our food drive, along with 9th StuCo & the AAA classes. Additionally, thank you to Ms. Mika for allowing 105 to be overtaken with all things SWAO for the past 3 months.
- Christina Knight for her balloon arch expertise & wrapping station fulfillment precision.
- Abraham Mejia Ramirez for our welcome guest book display.
- Kim Sanchez & Latinos in Action for planning, supplying, & facilitating many of the activities that kept everyone busy in the Commons after shopping!
- StuCo 9 (Mika) for supporting the Gingerbread house building, StuCo 11 (Rodriguez) for Karaoke, StuCo 12 (Weiss) for Movie Night & StuCo Main for sponsoring breakfast & snacks.
- Torch Crew for their support of NHS Friday night with decorating.
- Alysa Weiss for all things tech including my intro to the Commons’ catwalk & lights, poster creation and speaker lending.
- Anthony Limon for his student musicians.
- Gabby Orozco & her dancers.
- Salynthia Russell & her son for bringing Elsa & Olaf to the party.
- Cristina Cervantes & Valecia Cigar for sponsoring dinner for our Friday night decorating session & JW for cooking.
- Our Santa, Jerry Weder, for his 3rd appearance as our featured performer!
- Every single staff & family member who supported us Friday night or Saturday &/or brought their Lil’ Olys to enjoy the fun:
Trevor Bodnar, Tiana Cannon, Tracy Cass, Cristina Cervantes, Ryan Cheung, Scott Fiske, Alexis Garcia, Kathi Gilman, Erin Gold, Eduardo Guardado, Taylor Hadden, Sandra Hernandez, Kyle Hirsch, Mrs. Hirsch, Jeriann Howard, Paul Jefferson, Jon Justis, Kara Kloberdanz, Christina Knight, Anthony Limon, Rashad Mason, Paula McNichol, Abraham Mejia Ramirez, Jessica Meleah, Andrea Millar, Kim Muller, Jonathan Myer, Brian Morgan, Joanelle Nunez, Evelyn Ortega-Loera, John Portelle, Alexis Robison Cheung, Gillian Rodriguez, Melanie Rose, Salynthia Russell, Kim Sanchez, Laura Schmitz, Mia Strong, Emma Tanner, Leland Tulper, Marie Valencia, Alysa Weiss, and Andrew Woods. (If I missed a name, so many apologies).
