Daniela Lopez is stringing stars across the hallways at Capital High School. Raquel Alaniz tweeted out “Wow! The sophomores are way ahead of the seniors and juniors in the Make-A-Wish Stars count.” Abbie Smith is making superhero masks.

The 155 students in Sandy (Wold) Murin’s marketing classes are putting real-world experiences into play. Murin teaches six different courses and each class utilizes different marketing skills to plan the schools annual Kids For Wish Kids event, a program that raises money to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

“I use the textbook a handful of times throughout the year,” Murin said. “The shift in marketing is changing — it’s social, local and mobile now. I can’t teach the same way I taught last year.”

Murin’s students started the school year brainstorming ideas on how to raise $4,265 for Trey Grijlava, a 4-year-old boy who has been living with Neuroblastoma. Over 10 years Capital High students have raised $25,000 for Make-A-Wish Idaho. Each year, the organization connects Capital students with a local child to help make their dreams come true.

Murin’s students are selling Make-A-Wish stars for $1 that are plastered across campus, utilizing social media platforms to reach and market students and staff, and are creating superhero games and outfits for the Kids For Wish Kids event.

“I’m learning how to advertise and market an event in order to educate people about where their donated money is going towards,” said Berryman, a senior at Capital High. “I definitely think the skills we are learning will help in all aspects of life.”

Murin uses Kids For Wish Kids to teach her students through project-based learning. Students are developing a plan and making an idea come to life.

On Sept. 23, the Capital High student body will fill the gym to help raise more money for Trey’s wish of going to Legoland in San Diego, Calif. Trey will walk out onto the gym floor and begin playing the superhero games Murin’s students created. During that time, each grade level will compete to raise more money by putting cash and checks into fundraising jars.

“There’s never a dry eye during the event,” Murin said.

Murin is teaching students the importance of philanthropy and how marketing works when partnering with a non-profit.

“It’s moments like these that I try to teach my students to give back to the community,” Murin said.