"They got so excited about it," brainstorming ways to help, Leffler said. The students finally zeroed in on an auction and a November Peter Breinholt benefit concert.

The efforts netted $17,000, she said.

But they kept going.

Student body officers started "change for Terry" coin drops, growing the largesse, with the help of other community donations, to $20,000. They also tracked down and distributed the addresses of hundreds of stars' fan clubs for the whole school to write letters seeking items for another benefit auction.

So far, students' more than 1,000 letters have hooked 50 items, student government advisor and math teacher Andy McIntyre said. They include signed balls from the Indianapolis Colts, NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young and future NBA Hall of Famer Karl Malone. "Gilligan's Island" cast members sent an autographed picture, as did Star Wars' original Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill. Each is sure to fetch a good bid — a 16-by-20 photo of Hamill was listed at $199 Wednesday at the online Bargains-R-Us.

The items go up for auction on eBay May 15-25, McIntyre said.

The school also is working with a local doctor to give the cochlear implants and procedure for free — a donation worth $50,000 to $60,000 — to help Birch hear again.

The cochlear implant could make Birch's dreams — "The ability to communicate with everyone, everywhere," he says — a reality.

Now, students just hope "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" pulls through.

The students petitioned the TV show to fix up Birch's home, which he says has fallen into disrepair and the family has little money to fix. They made a video, where students stood on the field to create the message "We love," and Terry, the man who works hard to make school a nice place for them, standing alone, in the spotlight.

"We thought, for once, we should help him," student body secretary Emily Blackham said. "It makes you feel good. Your whole school, like, cares."

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How to help

An eBay auction to benefit Olympus custodian Terry Birch and his family is set for May 15-25.

Bids can be placed through student-designed Web site, www.Help-Terry.org, during that window.

Donations also are being taken through www.Help-Terry.org.

All funds raised will go through the Granite Education Foundation to help the family with medical costs and, hopefully, a cochlear implant.

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com