Plum High School Students Raise $46,270 During 12th Annual Make-A-Wish Telethon

Norah Carter, 8, of Shaler, learned a dance similar to the hula in gym class a few years ago.

When she received a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Norah said she wanted to travel to Hawaii to do the hula. During the summer of 2009, Norah; her mom, Rebecca Mettee-Carter; her dad, Joe Carter; and her little brother, Reid Carter; hopped on an airplane and did just that.

"It looked like paradise there," Norah said.

Norah and Rebecca were guests at the 12th annual Plum High School Make-A-Wish telethon.

TV production and National Honor Society students filmed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, the last day before the holiday vacation. They raised $46,265 for the foundation.

Sabrina Pishko, president of the National Honor Society and a TV production student, said she was so pleased with the number.

"We were surprised," she said. "We weren't expecting it to be this high. It's more than we raised last year."

Last year's total was just over $45,000.

Throughout the year, each school in the district has been holding fundraisers to benefit Make-A-Wish. Segments highlighting those fundraisers, as well as interviews with local officials, and Pittsburgh celebrities and mascots are featured during the telethon.

Rick Berrott, TV production teacher, said students have been working on the telethon for about a month. They practiced it through three days before the actual filming.

Students took their places in front of the camera, behind the camera, in the control room or in the audience.

Brittany Youngman, development coordintor with Make-A-Wish, has been working with Plum School District for two years. She said she never has worked with a district so dedicated to the cause.

"For 12 years, they've been going higher and higher," she said. "The whole community is so amazing to work with."

The telethon will air twice a day on Comcast Cable Channel 23 and Verizon Cable Channel 28 during the holiday break. To donate to Make-A-Wish, call 412-471-9474 or text STAR to 50555 to make a $5 donation.