Feel Good: TMHS Cheer Supports St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Big Way

Feel Good: TMHS Cheer Supports St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Big Way
September 4, 2026

Every September, Tomball Memorial High School Cheer takes on a challenge that goes far beyond the sidelines.

Through the annual Gold Rush fundraiser benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, TMHS Cheer uses its platform to raise money and awareness for children and families facing some of life’s toughest challenges.

The Wildcats have made the fundraiser a tradition. For the past two years, TMHS Cheer has ranked among the top three fundraising programs, and since Coach Sarah Ellison joined the staff in 2020, the team has consistently ranked among the top 10 fundraisers in the nation.

For Ellison, however, the greatest accomplishment isn't the ranking—it’s watching her athletes discover the power they have to make a difference.

“When I joined the staff in 2020, I wanted to teach my athletes how to use this platform as a campus leader to make a difference in the lives of others,” Ellison said. “Once our athletes experienced the fundraiser and understood what St. Jude represents, it quickly became something they genuinely cared about.”

Throughout the campaign, students learn about the mission of St. Jude, set fundraising goals, reach out to family and friends, participate in letter-writing campaigns and find creative ways to encourage others to support the cause.

Along the way, they learn lessons that extend well beyond cheerleading.

“They learn perspective, gratitude, empathy, and leadership, which is way more important than learning a cheerleading skill,” Ellison said.

The experience also gives the team a chance to look beyond competition.

“Our athletes are incredibly competitive, and I love that about them,” Ellison said. “But St. Jude gives them an opportunity to step outside of competition and recognize that success isn't always measured by a score, a trophy, or a medal.”

Ellison’s commitment to St. Jude began long before she became a coach at Tomball Memorial High School.

During her first visit to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 2012, a father approached her in the hallway while she was on a tour. He thanked her for her efforts to raise money for the hospital and then shared why that support meant so much to his family.

Because of people who support St. Jude, he told her, he would get to see his daughter go to prom, graduate high school and one day get married.

“Those are words I will never ever forget,” Ellison said.

That moment has stayed with her and continues to shape the way she approaches the fundraiser with her athletes.

“These children and their families are facing challenges that no child should have to face,” she said. “Being able to contribute, even if it's in a very small way, is incredibly meaningful.”

In recent years, several TMHS Cheer athletes have also had the opportunity to visit St. Jude, giving them firsthand experiences that have made the mission even more personal.

Ellison believes the team’s continued fundraising success comes down to culture.

“Since I joined the Wildcat family, we have worked very hard to build a program where our athletes understand that being a Wildcat cheerleader means representing something bigger than yourself,” she said.

That mindset is supported by dedicated families and a community that believes in what the students are doing.

As another Gold Rush campaign begins, Ellison hopes the Tomball community will join TMHS Cheer in supporting St. Jude.

“Every contribution matters,” she said. “It is easy to think that one donation or one letter may not make a significant difference, but when an entire team, school, and community come together, those individual efforts become something incredibly powerful.”

For TMHS Cheer, the Gold Rush is more than a fundraiser. It’s an opportunity for students to use their voices, leadership and platform to help others—and to discover just how much of a difference they can make