This year Michelle Swenson’s Calculus BC class worked to raise $9,762 for The Polar Bear Plunge, which supports Minnesota Special Olympic Athletes. Orono is now being recognized on The Polar Bear Plunge website as the third top K-12 school in the state for the most amount of money raised.

Each year, since 2012, Swenson’s Calc BC class has come up with a way to help those in need. The Polar Bear Plunge has been their choice for the past two years.

This year 22 students and 20 teachers jumped into the icy waters of Lake Calhoun on March 8. Each student that wanted to jump had to raise $75 on their own. The teachers, however, had jars in the lunch room where students could place money in the jar of the teacher they wanted to see jump. As soon as a jar reached $100, that teacher had to take the plunge.

“The Polar Bear Plunge is a great way to raise awareness and give something back. The cause is very connected to Orono and it is a great way to be able to support others in the community,” math teacher Kristin VanDenheuvel said.

Students and teachers that took the plunge felt that it was a memorable experience and encourage fellow peers and staff to participate in coming years.

“Jumping was a brutal experience. There is really no way to explain it other than [that it is] freezing cold. It was completely worth it though, because it’s a great cause and I would encourage others to participate,” senior Caroline Sauer said.
In conjunction to the plunge, Orono is fortunate enough to have their very own unified sports teams: football, basketball and track. Out of the $9,762 that was raised, $3,500 will go directly back to the unified program. This money will be used to purchase uniforms and equipment for the teams.

There are many interactions that are made between the students, the athletes and the staff.

“It’s really fun to have a service activity that students and teachers can do together. The fear and anxiety of plunging into icy waters creates a good bonding and team building experience,” guidance counselor Katie Dorn said.

In order to get involved, students should contact either the kids coaching, Swenson or Dorn. Volunteers should keep in mind that they should make this a priority and be committed if they want to be involved.

“Coaching was a lot of fun and very rewarding. These kids teach you so much about yourself and about your general outlook on life,” senior basketball coach Shelby Earley said.

The next step for the Unified teams is building a fan base. Many of the Unified team members attend other OHS events and would love to see peers at their games or events. There is an upcoming home track meet on May 17.

“Students are affected in ways that are unexpected by being a part of the Unified teams. It’s cool to see a student when they are away from their typical everyday persona,” Swenson said.