Cool School Polar Plunge brings in money for BHS, Special Olympics

Sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-50s met the brave souls who plunged into chilly water Monday, March 22, at the Brainerd High School Cool School Polar Plunge.

The Special Olympics Minnesota Plungester, a mobile plunge pool, made its way to the school, where 136 students and staff members braved the cold water. Participants donned brightly colored capes, superhero masks, knee socks and plenty of Warrior spirit gear. Those lined up behind the Plungester waiting for their turn to jump enjoyed the pump-up music while trying to avoid the splash of frigid water as their peers before them took the plunge.

Jumpers raised $21,607, a portion of which will go to the Special Olympics, while some will come back to the high school and its Unified Warriors group as well as any other sports teams or clubs that participated.

Unified Warriors consists of students with and without intellectual disabilities who come together each year for activities like sports, games and crafting.

The Cool School Polar Plunge has happened at Breezy Point Resort the last two years with various area schools participating, but this is the first time the plunge has come to the schools. Last year’s five school participants raised a total of $38,000. Brainerd High School surpassed $21,000 by itself Monday, and Forestview Middle School — which is scheduled to take the plunge Tuesday, March 23 — raised over $11,000 as of Monday afternoon. Plunge coordinator Leroy Ailts said those figures are great to see.

What’s also cool to see — besides the chilled plungers — is that five of the eight Cool School plunges statewide are in the Brainerd lakes area.

Crosby-Ironton students and staff will take the plunge Thursday while Pillager and Staples-Motley will follow on April 19 and 20, respectively.

For more information on the Cool School Polar Plunge, or to donate to a specific school, visit plungemn.org/cool-school .

1/7: Nathaniel Staehling (left) and Dalton Barrett jump into the cold water in their bright costumes Monday, March 22, 2021, during the Cool School Polar Plunge at Brainerd High School. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

2/7: Brainerd High School Activities Director Charlie Campbell strikes a pose while taking the plunge Monday, March 21, 2021, during the Cool Schools Polar Plunge, which used a mobile plunge pool set up in the Brainerd High School parking lot. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

3/7: With Brainerd High School principal Andrea Rusk cheering in the background, Assistant Superintendent Heidi Hahn does a cannon ball during the Cool Schools Polar Plunge Monday, March 22, 2021, at Brainerd High School. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

4/7: Brainerd High School Principal Andrea Rusk does a "cannon ball" Monday, March 22, 2021, during the Cool Schools plunge located in the Brainerd High School parking lot. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

5/7: Aubri Metz and India Hiltner wince at the cold water as they jumped into the mobile Plungester at the Brainerd High School Cool Schools Polar Plunge Monday, March 22, 2021, in the school parking lot. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

6/7: Brainerd High School Principal Andrea Rusk laughs after taking the plunge Monday, March 22, 2021, during the Cool Schools Polar Plunge in the high school parking lot. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

7/7: Warrior girls soccer coach Grant Gmeinder holds his nose while Shane Jordan, Warrior girls softball coach, take the plunge Monday, March 22, 2021, at Brainerd High School. The Cool Schools Polar Plunge raises money for the school and Special Olympics Minnesota. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch