By Carin R. Kirkegaard; photo courtesy of the Wing family

Heidi Wing, president of the Rock Canyon Community Alliance (RCCA) is long-time volunteer and advocate for the Douglas County School District (DCSD). Wing saw a need at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) and created RCCA to help raise funds for not only the school’s after prom event, but also to raise money for teacher and classroom needs.

Wing, her husband and their children moved to the Castle Pines community 10 years ago from New Jersey. Her two boys were enrolled at Timber Trail Elementary and her daughter was at Rocky Heights Middle School . Wing was an involved parent at both schools. She said when her daughter hit RCHS, she quickly got involved there too.

At the time, RCHS did not have a parent-teacher organization to help with fundraising. Instead, parents who were connected with various groups within the school would conduct individual fundraisers. The biggest being the fashion show, which helped raise money to throw an after prom party.

Back east, Wing and her family lived in a small community where many of the social events revolved around the schools and families. Wing said she wanted to create that same environment with the RCHS community.

Recognizing that RCHS didn’t have any means to raise funds for classrooms and special projects, Wing founded the RCCA in 2017. “We created the RCCA with the purpose of promoting community involvement and working together to benefit all students at RCHS,” said Wing. “RCCA serves as a means to raise money that will fund teacher grants and special events, including after prom,” Wing continued.

In 2018, RCCA was able to award $5,000 toward classroom materials and technology. A grant of $1,750 was awarded to biotechnology teacher Shawndra Fordham in 2019. In 2020, RCCA anticipates awarding $10,000.

Wing decided that the best way to raise money was to throw a party called Rock the Night Away. Complete with a silent auction, music, great food and drinks, it also filled the roll of providing a social event that brought the RCHS community together. Wing said that the families whose kids were attending the local elementary schools and RHMS were encouraged to attend the event. Long term, the money raised will benefit all students, even those not yet attending RCHS.

RCHS hosts the largest after prom party in DCSD with more than 900 students in attendance. “Prom night is one of the most dangerous nights of the year for teenagers. It is so important that students have a safe place to go to continue the fun without the dangers and risks of being out on the roads and attending parties that are serving alcohol,” said Wing.

In addition to teacher and classroom grants, RCCA commits to funding $25,000 toward the RCHS after prom party. Wing said it’s the games, activities and especially the prizes that are given away throughout the night that keep the kids engaged until the wee hours of the morning.

To learn more about RCCA and the Rock the Night Away event or to bid on the silent auction to support RCCA visit, www.rockcanyoncommunityalliance.org.