North Allegheny students, staff ‘bear’ the weather for Special Olympics fundraiser

Cold and rain were no match for the brave participants who took a dip in the Special Olympics Bear Force One on March 20 at North Allegheny Senior High School in McCandless.

Staff and students jumped into Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s brand-new Bear Force One mobile swimming pool stationed in the high school parking lot as a way to have fun and donate toward a good cause.

“Hosting a mobile Polar Plunge to raise money for Special Olympics is one way we are able to give back to an organization who does so much for our students and our community,” said Melinda Beck, a special education teacher.

Built into a 42-foot trailer, the 4-foot-deep full swimming pool holds 2,500 gallons of water and can be transported to various areas across the region and state for fundraising events such as this, said Andrew Fee, vice president of strategic partnerships for Special Olympics Pennsylvania.

Beck and North Allegheny social worker Rachel Tengowski became Unified Bocce coaches for the district three years ago. Unified Bocce is run through Special Olympics, and creating a bocce team makes North Allegheny a Special Olympics Unified Champion School, Beck said.

After seeing an Instagram post about the new Bear Force One mobile pool, technology education teacher Justin Karolski suggested the idea, Beck said.

About 60 students and 10 staff members had signed up as of March 18, including Carrie Frohnapfel, supervisor of gifted and special dducation; Stephanie Svilar, coordinator of gifted and special education; Matthew Buchak, principal at North Allegheny Senior High School; and Garrett Miller and Timothy Murray, assistant principals at the senior high.

Hosack Elementary School Officer Pat Moffatt was the first to jump in. While he’s jumped for nine years at various Polar Plunges benefiting Special Olympics, he didn’t think North Allegheny was going to reach its $10,000 goal in 21 days. He was excited to hear it was nearly $12,000 as of March 20.

“It was awesome. Thanks to the support of the staff and students,” Moffatt said.

Beck lauded Moffatt’s dedication.

“Shoutout to NA Officer (Pat) Moffatt for rallying Hosack Elementary School and taking the plunge, too,” she said.

Svilar was eager to participate and support a good cause.

“I’m motivated and honored to plunge today in support of Special Olympics and to show our students that getting out of our comfort zones is so rewarding,” she said.

Carson Corona, a senior at the high school, leapt at the chance to participate. His sister, now 22, was a member of North Allegheny’s bocce team, and he said he was happy to support the “great organization.”

Even though the water “felt freezing cold,” Corona said “it was worth it. Absolutely.”

“It was very cold. You froze,” said Conner Eich, an eighth grader at Carson Middle School. “It was a lot of fun.”

Only North Allegheny students and staff members were able to take the plunge. However, multiple community members, businesses and parent teacher and student organizations have generously donated to the event, Beck said.

Matt Buchak, principal of the senior high school, was one of the administrators who participated.

“Supporting our community by participating in the Polar Plunge allows our students and staff the opportunity to help raise awareness and money for a great cause. Specifically, the Polar Plunge directly supports vital programming for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are all in,” Buchak said.

This isn’t the first time the school faced the cold water.

The bocce team paired up with members of the football team two years ago to participate at the Pittsburgh Cool Schools Plunge event at Acrisure Stadium, Beck said.

“Cool Schools” Polar Plungers are teams of kindergarten through high school students who plunge, raise funds and raise awareness for Special Olympics, according to specialolympicspa.org.

While North Allegheny exceeded its goal of raising $10,000 during the March 20 event, donations can still be made at the 2025 Bear Force One North Allegheny fundraising page at give.specialolympicspa.org/event/2025-bear-force-one-north-allegheny/e665031.

All funds raised support Special Olympics PA Unified Champion Schools programming consisting of inclusive sports and leadership experiences for students in Pennsylvania, according to the Special Olympics website.