The school’s Unified Us and Sports for Everyone clubs participated in the Cool Schools Plunge from early January to March 1, raising over $1,500 for the Special Olympics, which provides year-round sports training in many different varieties for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
The clubs had set seven different fundraising goals from $900 to $3,000; for each tier the clubs hit, a different teacher or faculty member was doused with ice water in the school’s courtyard.
Junior Jesse Lowinger, the founder of Sports for Everyone, had his club work with the Special Olympics of North Carolina for the first time.
“Our goal has always been to give everyone the chance to play sports, so, when looking for a way to do that this year, we wanted to work with … the Special Olympics,” he said. “We are fortunate to have a section [of the Special Olympics] based in North Carolina so all of the proceeds will go locally.”
Social studies teacher Aaron Wark, the faculty sponsor of Sports for Everyone, helped students organize the event.
“We also began a collaboration with Unified Us, a student club that supports our Adapted Curriculum students and the Special Olympics,” he said. “We wanted to continue to support the students and the Special Olympics in general, which led to this fundraiser as a way to continue the original mission of the club.”
Junior Tessa Wall, one of three co-presidents of Unified Us, said the Special Olympics is a worthy cause because it provides opportunities to inspiring athletes.
“The Cool Schools Plunge is a nonprofit Drive for Special Olympics North Carolina, which funds our club, Unified Us, and gives an opportunity to so many athletes,” she said. “We are raising money with the end goal of pouring ice water all over Chapel Hill’s favorite teachers!”
Exceptional Children teacher Jacqueline Cotton, the faculty sponsor of Unified Us, was surprised by the amount that the club has raised.
“Club Advisor Mr. Wark and I were not expecting the club to raise as much as they did. We found out last week that we are the top fundraising school for our area, raising over $1,500,” Cotton said.
English teacher Bradley Mitchell was doused in water on February 15 after the clubs hit their $1,000 fundraising goal.
“The iced water was definitely really cold, but supporting a good cause was totally worth the shivers I felt throughout the rest of the day,” he said.
Senior George Psaltis was one of three seniors who poured water on Mitchell.
“It was super fun to throw iced water on one of the English teachers,” he said.
