Somers LEOs Make a Splash for Special Olympics

Service sometimes means stepping outside your comfort zone. For the Somers LEOs, it meant stepping into freezing water.

Seventy-two members of the Somers High School LEO Club took part in the Special Olympics Polar Plunge “Cool School Challenge” at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle. Braving 44-degree air and icy water, the students jumped in to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics New York, which provides year-round sports training and competition for more than 68,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities across the state.

Their effort made a huge impact. The Somers LEOs raised more than $39,000, earning the top fundraising spot among public schools participating in the event and placing second overall in New York State. The funds raised were enough to support training and competition for more than 95 Special Olympics athletes for an entire season, helping ensure athletes and their families can participate free of charge.

Backed by cheering parents, community supporters, and advisors from the Somers Lions Club, the students showed the power of youth leadership and community spirit. Their willingness to brave the cold demonstrated something even more powerful than the plunge itself: a deep commitment to inclusion, service, and making a difference for athletes across the region.