Special Education Teacher Mr. Maucione participated in the Polar Bear Plunge in Wildwood, New Jersey this past Saturday. This activity was established by Special Olympics, which is an organization that provides Olympic activities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

The Polar Bear Plunge consists of volunteers lining up at a specific shoreline and plunging into the frigid ocean after collecting donated money for Special Olympics. Mr. Maucione noted that his body was in shock once he plunged into the icy water, so he could not even feel the cold.

In order to participate in the event, one must get sponsors , and with the help of family, friends, and the Becton staff, the yearbook adviser was able to raise 1,000 dollars.

At the Wildwood event, there were over 1,000 participants ready to donate money and raise awareness for intellectual disabilities. Mr. Maucione mentioned that the youngest participant was two years old and the oldest was 60. In total, the volunteers raised 325,000 dollars.

He noted that the Polar Bear Plunge is a fun experience, and he looks forward to it every year. “This is a great cause to get behind. I’ve always felt that if you can help others in need or do something special for someone, you should make every effort to do that,” he said.

Next year, the special education instructor hopes to extend the cause to the entire school. He would be willing to accept donations from anyone in the Becton community to raise as much money as possible.