Shepard students have taken the plunge.

By Kelly White

The high school, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos Heights, honored Special Olympics Illinois with a unique school-based Polar Plunge on Thursday, March 2.

“This year was our biggest group plunging yet,” Ashley Lythberg, Special Education Teacher (POWER PE teacher) and Special Olympics Coordinator at Shepard, said. “Every year is special, but since COVID kept us from doing this for a couple of years, it has been really cool to have it here at Shepard, instead of traveling to the Joliet event, so that more students and staff could participate during the school day. We have nearly doubled the number of participants and are very close to breaking our fundraising record from past years.”

Shepard’s POWER PE stands for Physical Opportunities with Exceptional Rewards. In this program, students apply to work as buddies or mentors for their peers with disabilities in the physical education PE) setting.

The program was founded by Lythberg along with co-POWER PE instructor, Scott Richardson nearly a decade ago. It has become very popular among student, expanding beyond PE to also include art and culinary courses.

Students celebrated the POWER program with a week-long spirit-filled Special Olympics Illinois Respect Week from February 27 until March 3. During the week themed, ‘Respect is Groovy,’ students signed a pledge to be respectful to others, cheered on the school’s Special Olympics basketball team during an all-school assembly and took part in the Polar Plunge.

“Students take pride in the fact that they are a part of something that provides such great opportunities for their peers,” Lythberg said.

The Polar Plunge is a huge fundraising effort benefiting Special Olympics and the athletes. Participants take in pledges from family, friends and more before taking the literal plunge into chilly waters.

This year marked the seventh year Shepard participated in the event and for its 120 plungers, made up of 45 staff members and more than 70 students, the plunge took place during all POWER PE periods on the Shepard football field. There were ice buckets, a slip n’ slide and inflatable pools provided by the school.

“The plunge is such a fun and interactive way for our students to raise funds for a cost so near and dear to them,” Lythberg said. “They really take ownership over this event and love to spread the word around

school and be a part of it. As a school with several Special Olympics programs, we are able to see these funds directly benefit our athletes and programs here at Shepard.”

Lythberg proudly takes the plunge herself and also makes it a family affair with her own children (ages 7 and 9) also getting involved in the great cause by taking their sixth plunge with her husband (who is also a special education teacher in the area).

“Everyone really goes all out with fundraising, advertising and bringing the spirit the day of the event,” Lythberg said.

All money raised goes directly to Special Olympics Illinois to provide the best opportunities for its athletes.

Shepard typically set a fundraising goal of $10,000 for its team, but with so many Astros plunging this year, the high school has bumped it up to $15,000.

“The generous donations have brought the high school’s grand total from the last seven plunges to over $85,000 for this great cause,” Lythberg said.