ALS Ice Bucket Challenge absorbs nation

Cold water rushes over administration in the courtyard. The Challenge was done on Aug. 18 a the teachers back-to-school barbecue.

PO'P Jessica Jagodzinski

Cold water rushes over administration in the courtyard. The Challenge was done on Aug. 18 a the teachers’ back-to-school barbecue.

Standing in the searing heat of a Florida summer for a long period of time could be considered a challenge. But getting soaked with a bucket of freezing water afterward to benefit ALS research is a different kind of undertaking.

“It was actually very refreshing,” Assistant Principal Lauren Otero said, “Especially because we were outside for over an hour before we got the water dumped on us.”

Otero wasn’t the first, and won’t be the last, to take the icy plunge. Millions, including celebrities, teenagers, and administrators alike, have already taken part in the Ice Bucket Challenge.

“I’d definitely do it again.” junior Trevor Barksdale said. “I love being doused with cold water in front of Wolfgang Flowers.” Although the dare is usually done in groups, it still isn’t anything like the average Internet challenge sensation.

The Ice Bucket Challenge won’t choke you like the Cinnamon Challenge, or burn you like the Ice and Salt Challenge. Instead, its purpose is to raise money and awareness for ALS, while getting people drenched with ice water.“At first I thought it was stupid,” Catherine Munn, junior, said, “people just dumping ice water on their heads. But when I figured out the meaning, I was happy to contribute!”

The first contribution to the Challenge started in Massachusetts. Pete Frates, a 29-year-old and former Boston College baseball captain, was diagnosed with ALS. Then he started posting about the disease on social media, leading to the spread of awareness and eventually, the viral Ice Bucket Challenge.

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, degenerates the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to a steady loss of muscular functions. More than 30,000 Americans have ALS at any given time, as stated by ALSA.org. Many patients in later stages become completely paralyzed, and many pass away within 2 to 5 years of diagnosis. ALS is inherited in only 5 to 10 percent of cases, the rest of the time, it occurs randomly, according to the Mayo Clinic. Pete Frate’s diagnosis was especially unusual for his age, as ALS more normally affects those between 40 and 70 years old.

As a result of Frate’s efforts and his connections to the Boston baseball community, many local athletes became the first people to accept the Ice Bucket Challenge. The local news stations picked up the story, and before long, the

Challenge had spread to the top of the A-list, as well as the top of America’s executive branch of government.

Although President Obama denied having an actual bucket of ice dumped on his head, instead he elected to donate $100 to the ALS Association. This action is perfectly acceptable by the rules of the Ice Bucket Challenge. When someone is nominated for the Challenge, they have 24 hours to film themselves getting drenched, or make a donation to ALS. Despite this rule, many people decide to do both, which is likely what led to a 1000 percent increase in fundraiser profits from last year for the ALS Association.

“I’d do it again. It was fun and for a good cause.” said Samantha Morales, freshman. Ice Bucket Challenge participants have raised more than $2.3 million dollars to the ALS Association, according to the Huffington Post.

“I would definitely encourage others to do it,” Otero said, “It’s literally 5 seconds, and its for such a good cause.”