Chile Elementary Students Take The 'Ice Bucket Challenge'

The social media phenomenon that has produced millions of videos of people having buckets of ice water poured on their heads has now also soaked much of Lawton Chiles Elementary in Tampa Palms.

In fact, according to a press release from Chiles, students learned about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (aka ALS; better known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”) throughout the month. The school also collected donations throughout the month to donate to the ALS Association.

As a culmination, on September 19, Chiles students in kindergarten through fifth grade gathered on the sports fields at the school to take part in the actual challenge. More than 800 students and 50 faculty members were handed a plastic cup of ice water, and on Chiles principal Dr. Terri Evans signal, everyone in the crowd poured the frigid liquid onto their own heads. 

Chiles third grade teacher Tracey Tupler said in the release that while class instruction focused on a general understanding of ALS, the students were able to better appreciate the impact of serious diseases and how they can make an impact through activism and fund-raising efforts like the “Ice Bucket Challenge.”  

“I felt it was important for students to understand the meaning behind all of these people pouring ice water on themselves,” Tupler said. “My next-door neighbor was a special adult in my childhood. He fought ALS for many years. Our challenge provided the students with valuable lessons. Not only did they learn about ALS, they raised money to help find a cure and, most important, learned that they actually can make a difference and have a positive impact on society.”

In addition to doing the actual challenge at school, during September, Chiles families raised and donated more than $2,400 to the Hillsborough County chapter of the ALS Association.

“Chiles’ families are so generous!,” said Jennifer DiCecco, treasurer of the Chiles Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). “It was fun to see the envelopes stuffed with quarters, nickels and dimes come in. I could just see the kids emptying their piggy banks to donate.”

According to the ALS website, between June 29-August 29, more than $100 million was raised for ALS research, due in large part to the popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge. Last year, only $2.8 million was raised during the same time period. 

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no known cure affecting about 30,000 Americans at any one time. ALS causes those diagnosed to lose the ability to control their muscles, which leads to paralysis and, ultimately, death. 

For more information, please visit ALSA.org.