McAuliffe Middle School students host Rocket Fest to raise money for injured classmate

The 8th grader spent the last month recovering from an injury that left him with burns over more than 80% of his body.

SAN ANTONIO — On Friday, Students at Mcauliffe Middle School raised money with a carnival to support one of their own still recovering from a severe burn injury over the holidays.

Christa McAuliffe Middle School’s Rocket Fest didn’t feature a liftoff, but it did have a dunk tank.

“All the clubs and like each different, I guess grade level, like they’re doing something different,” said 6th-grader Truth Paredez.“And then each subject is doing something different. So social studies is doing something, math is doing something.”

Paredez is a member of both the student council and ambassadors, the two student organizations that put on the carnival.

The students organized the event in support of one of their own: Marcus Rutledge Jr.

“I’m excited to see that the community is strong, and they stayed together and stayed positive and supported my son through this tragic event, said his father, Marcus Rutledge Senior.”

Marcus was burned during a family gathering on Christmas Eve. The 8th-grader fell onto a fryer full of hot cooking oil during a family gathering on Christmas Eve. He ended up with burns over 85% of his body.

School administrators estimate the carnival drew at least 500 people.

“I feel like it’s going pretty good. there’s a lot of people, like a really lot of people,” Paredez said.

The proceeds from the carnival will be a lifeline for the family because both of Marcus’s parents have taken family medical leave from work while he recovers, so they don’t have any other income to get by.

“He’s one of us, he’s a family member, he’s a rocket,” said Paredez.

The family received another bit of good news on Friday. on their way to the event they learned Marcus was getting discharged from the hospital. His parents kept their interview brief because they were on their way out the door to pick up their son.

Marcus’s sister set up a GoFundMe page to help the family with ongoing expenses.