Bus drivers, teachers and students recently felt the invigorating chill of community service by participating in the Cool School Challenge and Polar Plunge to benefit the Special Olympics.
The Cool School Challenge raises support for Unified Champions School programming, free year-round sports, competitions, leadership opportunities and health services to more than 21,000 athletes of all abilities. Virginia Beach City Public Schools raised $89,980 this year, 60 percent of which came from the Plaza Middle School community.
Since 2011, the Plaza community has raised $275,000 for the Special Olympics. Plaza science teacher Karen Quick said students created their fundraising page through the school team site. They also competed in grade level competitions, raised money at sporting concessions and sold penguin stickers, temporary tattoos and croc charms. This year, Plaza’s team was made up of 300 staff and students.
More than 260 students went to the oceanfront to participate in the Polar Plunge on Feb. 2. Before the mad dash to the ocean, students had a party under a tent on the beach, where they danced to music from a DJ, participated in a costume contest, enjoyed free hot chocolate from Wawa and got to hear from a Special Olympics athlete.
The top three VBCPS student fundraisers were all Plaza Trojans:
- Campbell Teague with $2,300.
- Clayton Pope with $1,640.
- Olivia Hagan with $1,425.
VBCPS was also proudly represented with plungers from Landstown Middle School, Bayside High School, Cox High School and the Princess Anne High School.
Bus drivers also got into the act. The team “VB Bus Drivers” had 14 members helping raise $4,306 dollars, beating their original goal of $3,000. The largest donations came from the annual “Trunk or Treat” at Princess Anne High and a raffle at the transportation office’s January staff in-service meeting.
Team members represented VBCPS not only at the 5-K Run/Waddle on Friday night, but in the parade and plunge on Saturday as well. Team members were Robert Wayler, April Herrera, Maggie Williams, Tammy Deloach, Rimma Eckroth, Stephen Smith, Pamela Coley, Stephanie Hight, James Lash, Evelyn Mulligan and several other friends and family members
“Many of our ‘plungers’ that joined this wonderful cause did so because they wanted to support the students and families they transport each and every day to school,” said Mulligan, an area supervisor for VBCPS Transportation. “Others wanted to raise awareness for the inclusion of all athletes and their strengths and abilities. We are hoping that each year we participate we will grow in membership numbers with an effort to set our fundraising goals higher!”