The air was charged with excitement at Riverton
High School on Dec. 23 as students entered the gym for their Silver Rush
closing assembly.
Riverton High’s Silver Rush began 12 years ago as a sub-4-Santa charity drive and has grown in leaps and bounds since. Each year, for three weeks in December, the student body officers decide on a charity and then the entire school and community work to raise money for that charity.
This year’s Silver Rush kicked off on Dec. 1 with a special assembly and a community meeting that evening. Since then, the students had been working hard, along with the community, to raise money for the Christmas Box House. Now the students were waiting anxiously to see if their hard work had paid off.
When the banner with the total amount of money raised was unfurled, there was a collective gasp.
Raising a total of $107,167.12, the students had set an all-time Silver Rush record. Including this year’s amount, Riverton High has earned over $717,000 over the past12 years for various charities.
It’s a staggering number, but students and faculty at the school are always quick to point out their motto: “It’s not about the dollar; it’s about the change.”
As soon as the amount earned was revealed, the students flooded onto the gym floor where one of the student body officers led them in an impromptu singing of the Riverton High fight song. Emotions were high, and the tears and hugging continued long after school was dismissed.
For the the three-week long Silver Rush, students did lunchtime activities, concerts and performances, door-to-door odd jobs for donations, a food drive, a toy drive, a camp out, and much more to help children at the Christmas Box House. Some students worked temporary jobs and donated their earnings. All around the school, students woreT-shirts and sweaters bearing a quote from Gandhi: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
Richard Paul Evans, author of the book “The Christmas Box” and one of the founders of the organization, in his speech to the school, quoted one of the student body officers as saying: “I’m so tired, but what will I do now?”
Evans began his speech by describing a 7-year-old girl who had won a watch that she had really wanted through a contest on Evans’ website. The girl was excited to win the watch, but when she discovered that one of the other participants in the contest was a boy with spina bifida, she contacted Evans and requested that the watch be given to the boy instead.
“How do you get that into a kid?” Evans asked the audience. He then commended Riverton High by saying that that was the kind of people in their school.
“What makes the difference? What makes you different from other schools? You get the concept of respect,” Evans said.
He commended the administration, teachers, parents, and families of the students for teaching these students to have respect for themselves and others.
“Every dime will be used to help as many kids as much as possible,” Evans said.
During the assembly, the winner of the Battle of the Bands contest that was held during Silver Rush, Lampton View, performed a song that they had written for Silver Rush.
Colton Gibson, along with the other band members, Zach Swan, Jordan Higgins, Carlin Smart, and Cory Gunn, wrote the song in an effort to inspire people to donate. The words of the song seemed to capture the feelings of the student body: “It’s a silver rush of charity/This is where I really want to be/A rush of kindness/This is where I really want to be.”
At least 17 local businesses contributed to their efforts. Artic Circle sold a Silver Rush shake and donated a portion from the shakes sold. A spokesperson from Artic Circle told the students at the assembly that the restaurant definitely wants to do it again next year.
Riverton High students really focused on involving the community in their efforts this year. Drew Hunt, a student body officer, described seeing how the school and community had come together as “humbling” and “amazing.”
“Silver Rush has become something that is part of our community, and we’re just trying to hold onto the reins,” Principal Brad Sorensen said.
Sorensen also told the students that Silver Rush isn’t something that ends when they graduate.
“You’ll always be a Silver Wolf. Your contributions and efforts don’t stop just because you graduate,” he said.
Student Body President George Alexander echoed these sentiments when he addressed the student body. “Silver Rush makes us who we are. Continue to be the change—we can change the world.”
Lisa McDonald, a representative for the Christmas Box House, thanked the students for their efforts.
“It goes beyond the funds. You have engaged us. The staff, the kids, the teenagers ... all month long we were aware of what Riverton High School was doing for us ... Because of you guys, these kids will have somewhere to be. They will have a childhood,” she said.
Riverton High’s Silver Rush began 12 years ago as a sub-4-Santa charity drive and has grown in leaps and bounds since. Each year, for three weeks in December, the student body officers decide on a charity and then the entire school and community work to raise money for that charity.
This year’s Silver Rush kicked off on Dec. 1 with a special assembly and a community meeting that evening. Since then, the students had been working hard, along with the community, to raise money for the Christmas Box House. Now the students were waiting anxiously to see if their hard work had paid off.
When the banner with the total amount of money raised was unfurled, there was a collective gasp.
Raising a total of $107,167.12, the students had set an all-time Silver Rush record. Including this year’s amount, Riverton High has earned over $717,000 over the past12 years for various charities.
It’s a staggering number, but students and faculty at the school are always quick to point out their motto: “It’s not about the dollar; it’s about the change.”
As soon as the amount earned was revealed, the students flooded onto the gym floor where one of the student body officers led them in an impromptu singing of the Riverton High fight song. Emotions were high, and the tears and hugging continued long after school was dismissed.
For the the three-week long Silver Rush, students did lunchtime activities, concerts and performances, door-to-door odd jobs for donations, a food drive, a toy drive, a camp out, and much more to help children at the Christmas Box House. Some students worked temporary jobs and donated their earnings. All around the school, students woreT-shirts and sweaters bearing a quote from Gandhi: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
Richard Paul Evans, author of the book “The Christmas Box” and one of the founders of the organization, in his speech to the school, quoted one of the student body officers as saying: “I’m so tired, but what will I do now?”
Evans began his speech by describing a 7-year-old girl who had won a watch that she had really wanted through a contest on Evans’ website. The girl was excited to win the watch, but when she discovered that one of the other participants in the contest was a boy with spina bifida, she contacted Evans and requested that the watch be given to the boy instead.
“How do you get that into a kid?” Evans asked the audience. He then commended Riverton High by saying that that was the kind of people in their school.
“What makes the difference? What makes you different from other schools? You get the concept of respect,” Evans said.
He commended the administration, teachers, parents, and families of the students for teaching these students to have respect for themselves and others.
“Every dime will be used to help as many kids as much as possible,” Evans said.
During the assembly, the winner of the Battle of the Bands contest that was held during Silver Rush, Lampton View, performed a song that they had written for Silver Rush.
Colton Gibson, along with the other band members, Zach Swan, Jordan Higgins, Carlin Smart, and Cory Gunn, wrote the song in an effort to inspire people to donate. The words of the song seemed to capture the feelings of the student body: “It’s a silver rush of charity/This is where I really want to be/A rush of kindness/This is where I really want to be.”
At least 17 local businesses contributed to their efforts. Artic Circle sold a Silver Rush shake and donated a portion from the shakes sold. A spokesperson from Artic Circle told the students at the assembly that the restaurant definitely wants to do it again next year.
Riverton High students really focused on involving the community in their efforts this year. Drew Hunt, a student body officer, described seeing how the school and community had come together as “humbling” and “amazing.”
“Silver Rush has become something that is part of our community, and we’re just trying to hold onto the reins,” Principal Brad Sorensen said.
Sorensen also told the students that Silver Rush isn’t something that ends when they graduate.
“You’ll always be a Silver Wolf. Your contributions and efforts don’t stop just because you graduate,” he said.
Student Body President George Alexander echoed these sentiments when he addressed the student body. “Silver Rush makes us who we are. Continue to be the change—we can change the world.”
Lisa McDonald, a representative for the Christmas Box House, thanked the students for their efforts.
“It goes beyond the funds. You have engaged us. The staff, the kids, the teenagers ... all month long we were aware of what Riverton High School was doing for us ... Because of you guys, these kids will have somewhere to be. They will have a childhood,” she said.
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