By Jackson King & Matthew Witteman – Staff Reporters

Jonathan Law seniors Harshitha Kothapalli, Layla Alogna, and Kayla Markowitz founded the Law chapter of Raffles for Wishes in 2024, and have created an unforgettable experience for many young athletes.

Now in its second year, the recently established Raffles for Wishes Club organized a school-wide raffle that allowed non high school students the opportunity to suit up and take the court with the Jonathan Law boys and girls varsity basketball teams.

“We were first approached by a girl from Daniel Hand about bringing a Raffles for Wishes branch to Jonathan Law, but what really inspired me was when we visited the Make-A-Wish Headquarters and saw where the magic for each Wish child was created,” Alogna said. 

One boy and one girl were selected to participate in the varsity games against cross-town rival Foran, on February 19. Gehrig Canell,  a sixth grader at West Shore Middle School, joined the boys varsity team, while  Sadie Veteri, a seven-year-old at Matthewson Elementary School, joined the girls varsity team for the big day

The fundraiser is in conjunction with The Connecticut Make-A-Wish Foundation, with the goal of giving back to children facing serious challenges. Every dollar raised through the raffle was donated directly to the organization, helping grant meaningful wishes and provide support to kids and families in need. 

“Raffles for Wishes is a nonprofit initiative that raises money for the CT Make-A-Wish Foundation by selling raffle tickets for immersive experiences with the Jonathan Law varsity sports teams,” Markowitz said. “The student-run program helps connect young athletes with high school teams while supporting an important cause.”

Before each event, the club sells $5 raffle tickets that give young athletes the chance to be immersed into a real high school sports game. Winners get to warm up with the team, wear a team jersey, join huddles, and be announced in the starting lineup.

The leaders said that the most rewarding part of the event was seeing how much the experience truly meant to the children. Watching their excitement and joy made all the hard work and preparation worthwhile. Knowing the funds raised also supported an important charitable cause made the event even more meaningful, leaving the organizers proud of the positive impact they were able to create both on and off the court.

“I think Raffles for Wishes is a great cause and the money that is raised goes to a great organization,” Law Head Boys Basketball Coach Mr. McPartland said. “It’s a great opportunity for the younger kids to be around a varsity team and see how things are done at a high school level.”

All money raised through the raffles and additional donations is given to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The funds go toward helping children in need and supporting life-changing wishes.

“Our favorite part about being involved in Raffles for Wishes is that I get to not only give young athletes a great opportunity to see what makes the Jonathan Law athletic teams so special, but also do that while getting to raise money for such a great cause,” Markowitz said.