Auburn High School students want this sparrow to mend its wings and fly.

In this case, the sparrow is 9-year-old Andrew Torres who is awaiting a kidney transplant while staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Seattle.

The boy, who is receiving as many as three dialysis treatments each week, hopes to soon be strong enough to receive the transplant.

Such a demanding, cost-consuming ordeal can strain any family, and that’s where some Auburn students stepped up. As part of a project in Katie Henry’s advanced leadership class, students adopted Andrew as its “sparrow” through Sparrow Clubs USA, a national non-profit organization of school-based clubs that assist children in medical crisis.

Through community service and fundraising projects, Sparrow Clubs support children who have either life-threatening illnesses or chronic disabilities and whose families face financial hardship because of it. Schools and youth groups are paired with a qualified local child who is facing a medical crisis. Sparrow Clubs offers young people a way to aid one another, a kid-helping-kid arrangement.

So far, the Auburn effort has raised more than $6,000 in pledges and community hours, but more than half of it is guaranteed in sponsorship dollars. The class hopes to secure additional sponsorship and donations for the Torres family as they confront medical expenses and transportation issues.

“It’s absolutely amazing. The giving in our community has been unbelievable,” Henry said. “We do a lot of real-life community efforts. … By adopting this family, it gives them a rare opportunity to see the outcome of their efforts.”

Andrew lives with his father, Manuel, and little brother, Isaiah, at the House. He suffered from kidney failure last June, prompting the Torres family to sell everything they had, including their car, and move from the Tri-Cities to Seattle to receive proper care.

Without a car, Manuel must pull his sons in a red wagon to the hospital for Andrew’s appointments.

Auburn students came aboard last fall, beginning a close correspondence with the family. Three juniors – Meg Kahler, Kayla O’Grady and Meghan Bruya – spearheaded the efforts.

The relationship took root and grew. Andrew became their buddy.

“He loves football. He can’t wait to play football,” Kahler said. “He’s doing fine. He’s really an amazing guy.”

Aside from the money raised and matched through community service hours, the club put together “A Miracle Minute” – in which 70 students, one for each class in session, ran to collect as much money as possible in one minute. The effort raised $863, which went toward the purchase of a laptop for Manuel and iPods for the trio to help occupy them through long dialysis appointments.

Also, a mother of a student in the leadership class donated a $100 Walmart gift certificate, which purchased Christmas clothes for the family.

But the mission isn’t completely finished. The club is looking for more help, as well as someone willing to donate a car for the Torres family. So far, the class’ community service hours have exceeded the money raised. Two sponsors, both Portland lawyers, originally put up $3,500.

While fundraising has been daunting, the charitable effort has shown the true colors of a compassionate school, the girls said.

“We are struggling ourselves at home, and to be able to help somebody else without blinking an eye is really amazing,” O’Grady said. “The school has a big heart. It shows how much we care.”

When Andrew is fully healthy and back on his feet, the club plans to move forward as well. They plan to adopt another sparrow next school year. They have three students who know how to get it done.

“Once we’ve given up all we can, we let them go,” O’Grady said.

Wings mended, Andrew soon will take flight.

“The students have shown a lot of love and empathy toward our family and have strengthened our hope and faith in life,” Manuel wrote in an e-mail. “The students were there during Christmas by providing our family gifts that we simply didn’t expect, and indeed it was a surprise for all of us.

“In these difficult times that we all share, it is students, like the students from Auburn High School through Sparrow Club, who send a strong positive message of hope, love and the power of the human spirit that we all need to see.”

For those willing to contribute, please e-mail meg_kahler @yahoo.com. For more information about the program, visit www.sparrowclubs.org.