ABOVE: Fairmont High School students Mollie Leiding, Eduardo Perez-Ponce and Makenzie Gerhardt prepare to leap into the water during the annual Cool School Polar Plunge on Friday afternoon at FHS.

FAIRMONT — To support Special Olympics Minnesota and Fairmont High School (FHS) Unified Cardinals, several FHS students, staff, local law enforcement and members of the public braved the freezing plunge at the annual Cool School Polar Plunge on Friday at FHS.

FHS junior Mollie Leiding and sophomore Makenzie Gerhardt were two of the many participants who completed the plunge together.

“It was really cold,” Leiding and Gerhardt said in unison after they emerged from the water.

“I think [the event] is a good way to include everyone and have everyone involved in it,” added Leiding.

Group by group, participants jumped into four feet and 2,100 gallons of ice-cold water inside The Plungster unit. Even though this year’s Cool School Polar Plunge has now concluded, the event and its purpose remain very meaningful to the students who joined.

“The Polar Plunge seemed like a really good cause and just to be out here and having fun in front of our school is awesome,” Gerhardt remarked. “It’s not that cold, and inclusivity stays forever.”

FHS Principal Chad Brusky also participated in the Polar Plunge and said he was happy to see a lot of diversity at the event.

“You know, it takes a lot of bravery to jump in, and we had general ed, special ed, all of our students jumping in, participating and you can see how excited the school got over something like this,” he staid. “Schools are more than just academics; it’s about being a part of something bigger than yourself. That’s the part I love the most, is all these community builders we get to do to make kids hopefully feel like they belong.”

As a result of this year’s Cool School Polar Plunge, 73 participants were officially registered and together raised a total of $4,472, which will support the programs by Special Olympics Minnesota and FHS Unified Cardinals.

“I think we had a massive success this year,” commented FHS Unified Cardinals Coach Joelle Thomas. “I think now that it’s over, it’s nice to have a sigh of relief, and go, ‘man, we really did something cool there.’ I think the big message here is that everyone matters, everyone is a part of something, everyone is a player on the same team.”

The FHS Unified Cardinals’ endeavors don’t end at the Polar Plunge. They will host the Million Millimeter Mini Marathon for Inclusion on May 9 and Unified Track and Field Day on May 15.