Severna Park High Students participated in Polar Bear Plunge in January through the Cool Schools event to donate and support the Special Olympics, to spend time with friends and to receive a free sweatshirt.

On Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019 the Polar Bear Plunge hosted an event called the Cool Schools Plunge, where students and faculty from middle and high schools around Maryland come to Sandy Point State Park to participate in the Polar Bear Plunge during school. At the event, students and faculty had the opportunity to plunge into the Chesapeake Bay to support and raise money for the Special Olympics.  During the 2019 Cool Schools event, more than 3,800 students and teachers came to the beach ready to plunge into the bay to support the Special Olympics.

Severna Park High teacher Ms. Smith has done the plunge at the Cool Schools event three times with Severna Park High School. Smith said that even though she does not actually plunge into the Bay, she still enjoys knowing that she is helping a great cause by raising money. “I just go because it is an amazing cause,” Smith said.” I like helping raise money for the Special Olympics, which is such an important organization.”

Sarah Adams, a junior at Severna Park High, said that she has done the Polar Bear Plunge multiple times to support her sister who has down syndrome. She also said that others might be motivated to do the plunge because it allows them to support the people we know in our community. “I do it because my sister has down syndrome so it is close to my heart and close to my family,” Adams said.” I know others do it because we know people like Kenny and people who could participate in the Special Olympics.”

Freshmen at Severna Park, Ella Lavy, said that she and many other students were motivated to participate in the plunge because of the free sweatshirt that they received for participating in the plunge. “I wanted the free sweatshirt. I wanted it because it showed I had participated in the cold plunge and that I supported the Special Olympics.”

Freshmen Ariana Goldberg said that she was motivated to do the plunge because her friends and other people she knew had done the plunge and had a great time and experience. “It was really fun,”Goldberg said.”I bonded with my friends and would definitely do it again.”

Anyone wanting to support the Special Olympics, in January, through the Polar Bear Plunge can do so by registering for the plunge and pledging $75 or more through fundraising for donations. People can plunge during the multi-day event at events such as the Family Plunge, Cool Schools Plunge and the Super Plunge.