Colorado high school students create special drone show for 9-year-old Make-A-Wish recipient

A group of Colorado high school students used technology, creativity and teamwork to help make one 9-year-old boy's night unforgettable.

Students from St. Vrain Valley Schools traveled to Holyoke to put on a custom drone light show for Nathaniel, better known as Bubba, through Make-A-Wish.

Bubba was born with SCN2A, a rare neurological condition that affects brain function and can cause seizures and other medical and developmental challenges. But on this special night, the focus was on something he loves: lights.

The performance was designed around Bubba's interests, giving him and his family a chance to enjoy a sky filled with colorful drone formations.

Behind the show was St. Vrain Valley Schools' Drone Performance Team, based at the district's Innovation Center. The team is the world's first high school student-led outdoor drone show team. Students take the lead in planning, designing aerial animations, composing original music and operating the drones.

For Longmont High School senior Reese Wieder, who served as a project manager and pilot, the opportunity was especially meaningful. Wieder's older sister received a Make-A-Wish trip to San Diego while undergoing cancer treatment as a child. Remembering what that experience meant to her family, Wieder now had the opportunity to help create a special memory for another child.

The production also gives students hands-on experience applying their classroom skills to real-world projects, including engineering, programming and project management.

Team coordinator Danny Hernandez said the experience is about more than putting on a drone show. It's also an opportunity for students to make a meaningful difference in their community.

For Bubba's family, the impact was evident in his reaction. In a video shared by Make-A-Wish, his mother reflected on how his joy and giggles touched the hearts of so many people.

For the students behind the controls, it was a chance to use their skills to bring a little extra joy to a family and help make a wish take flight.