York team raises over $25,000 to support Special Olympic athletes

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 inaugural event on Feb. 23 at the stadium where 47 participants bravely dove headfirst into icy cold pools for this great cause.

This was the first year that York High School participated in the event. York Community High School has 25 students that participate in Special Olympics sports, including basketball, volleyball, and track and field.

When asked about why they wanted to participate in the challenge, Steve Westendorf, the Special Olympics coordinator at York, 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,” said Elmhurst School District 205 Superintendent 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 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 qrco.de/bemKxt.