Have you been challenged yet?

  In recent trends, the world has gone crazy for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

  The ice bucket challenge has helped raise awareness of Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and by Aug. 25, the donations reached $79.7 million.

  Mr. Craig Stafford, principal, and Mr. Matt Chico, dean of students, were challenged to participate in the challenge and completed the act on Aug. 22. Ticket sales for a chance to dump the ice water on the heads of the administrators, as well as a money from a jeans day, brought in $500, which will be donated to the Les Turner Foundation in Chicago, IL. This foundation has research in partnership with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.