York Community High School Team Raises Over $25,000 to Support the Athletes of Special Olympics Illinois
– As part of the Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge via the Cool School Challenge. –
Elmhurst, IL – York Community High School students and staff have raised over $25,000 in support of the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois. Joining 17 other school teams in the fundraiser, York is on track to raise the highest amount of any of the participating teams and you can still help them with their goal!
You are probably familiar with the Polar Plunge, but have you heard of the Cool School Challenge? Part of the Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge, The Cool School Challenge is held annually and provides an opportunity for students and staff to support the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois. York Community High School held their first annual event on Friday, February 23, 2024 at the York Community High School stadium where 47 participants bravely dove head-first into icy cold pools for this great cause.
This was the first year that York High School participated in the event. When asked about why they wanted to participate in the challenge, Steve Westendorf, the Special Olympics Coordinator at York Community High School shared, “We have such an amazing Special Olympics program at York and the Cool School Challenge was a chance to support all of our incredibly talented athletes while also providing an exciting - and certainly memorable - way to give back.”
“Not only is it a great opportunity to support our athletes, but it is also an opportunity to continue educating, engaging and empowering students about the importance of inclusion and making a positive impact,” shared Elmhurst School District 205 Superintendent Dr Keisha Campbell. “As shared in our strategic plan framework, one of our objectives is to provide all students a variety of pathways to identify and explore their passion and purpose. This was just one example of the many ways we strive to achieve that objective.”
Schools can continue to raise money through March 28, 2024 for the Cool School Challenge. The winning school will be announced after the fundraising has completed. You can donate to York High School’s team by visiting https://qrco.de/bemKxt or by scanning this QR code.
York Community High School has 25 students that participate in Special Olympics sports, including basketball, volleyball, and track and field.
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