CHS students participate in Internet craze for a good cause
CHS students participate in Internet craze for a good cause
All over the internet, people have been posting videos worldwide to raise awareness for the ALS. This craze is known as the ALS ice bucket challenge.
ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, which is also referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.” This disease affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, reaching muscles throughout the body.
If a person is elected to compete in the ice bucket challenge, a bucket must be filled up with cold water and ice, and then poured over the head so that a person can get the sensation for a few seconds of what people with ALS feel every second of every day.
Students of CHS were asked if they had done the ice bucket challenge, and over 50% did.
Sophomore Gabby Gervais said, “I think it’s a good cause that raises awareness on what it’s like to have ALS as long as you know that’s what it’s for and you aren’t just doing it because that’s what everyone else is doing.”
Yet some students chose not to participate.
Senior Kylie Rush said, “I didn’t do the ice bucket challenge. I feel like the general idea of it was great. But I think a majority of people who did it just did it to make themselves look good or wanted attention. I don’t think most people did it for the actual reason; they just did it to get likes on Facebook.”
Despite differing opinions, many feel that it was a worthwhile experience.
Senior Debbie Stanback said “Well it was really cold, but worth it. It’s really sad for the people who have the disease and have to suffer from it. So people joining together doing the ‘challenge’ and donating money to support ALS really benefit those with the disease.”
After seeing so many people post their videos, senior Dru Orth did something different. “It was my dad’s idea and he thought it was lame how everyone was doing the same thing over and over, so we came up with something a little more interesting!”
CHS students participate in Internet craze for a good cause
Sorry, there was an error loading this poll.
While some took it seriously and others did not (some were known to pour warm water and act like it was cold), the awareness for ALS has spread and is still going today. Celebrities and other famous people also participated, shocking numerous people. Giving money and pouring ice cold water over a person’s head is more than a video to people with ALS; it brought much-needed awareness to their condition.
Many people have differing opinions on the effectiveness of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Check out our editorial, Ice Bucket Challenge cures common stereotypes along with raising money (Editorial).
Want to help the Herd? Please consider supporting the Periscope program. Your donation will support the student journalists of CHS and allow us to purchase equipment, send students to workshops/camps, and cover our annual website hosting costs.
Amanda is a staff writer for the second time this year, this time heading our new Student Life section. She loves the when the moon comes out but she...
Claire Hillison • Oct 29, 2014 at 9:17 pm
This is one reason why the internet is a great thing. People all over the global came out and supported a disease that does not get a lot of recognition or funding normally. It shows you the power of social media as a source of good.
Katie Mackow • Oct 23, 2014 at 9:33 am
I think this “internet craze” was useful and for a great cause. It just goes to show how quickly things can spread through the media. Although fast spreading news like this often has a bad connotation, the ALS ice bucket challenge is the perfect example of ways technology can effectively bring attention to an important issue, not just about superficial things.
Alyssa • Oct 23, 2014 at 8:36 am
I think that yeah, some people did it for the attention but think of it this way. not many people even knew what ALS was until this small idea came about. so for all of the people who did it for attention or if they did it for the actual cause it raised awareness for the disease. now so many people know what ALS is and its amazing.
Maddie Reapsome • Oct 1, 2014 at 12:57 pm
I absolutely loved this craze! Although it may have been a little irritating to get constant notifications, it always made me smile to see that it was for the ALS ice bucket challenge and not just another mindless post. The amount of money raised in just a short few months was unimaginable. And not only did this raise money it always increased awareness. I knew somewhat about ALS before all of this happened, but I doubt that most America had any idea about it. I feel more fundraisers for diseases, cancer, etc should be more creative like this challenge. It was a fun and uniting way to help out the ALS research foundation.
Breanne Clippinger • Oct 1, 2014 at 12:33 pm
I think the ALS Ice Bucket challenge was a great way to raise awareness. Personally, I did not know about ALS until the ice bucket craze. I filmed a lot of my friends doing the challenge and no matter how many screams, and shivers it caused, everyone came away with a smile. I would debate that the fact the challenge was done only for likes on Facebook is a bad thing. The point of the video WAS to get likes, and raise awareness or donate. The fact that is was done for attention is in fact a good thing. Whether someone posted it just for likes or not there video spread knowledge. So what, maybe the ice bucket challenge became a popularity thing. That is good. That was the purpose.
Sarah Gerard • Oct 1, 2014 at 12:29 pm
I agree with Kayla, people started this challenge as a way to raise awareness to ALS. Although I can see how some people would think doing the ice bucket challenge was for attention, I don’t think they need to be complaining so much. I know the challenge flooded social media, but it was just a fun way to raise awareness, and the challenge helped raise a lot more money for ALS than previous years, which I think is incredible. Most people may not have even heard of ALS before the challenge, but now it is well-known, and plus, most people I know who completed the ice bucket challenge, donated as well.
Kayla Hallman • Oct 1, 2014 at 11:06 am
My whole family and I participated in the ice bucket challenge and I’m so glad we did. We could do something fun to raise awareness for a horrible disease and work together as a family. It drives me crazy that people think it was just done for attention. I feel like that is an extremely negative way to think about the whole idea. The ALS bucket challenge is an “internet craze” like the article said and anything on the internet can be viewed as to get attention but the fact is that people did learn about this disease and it did bring attention to the horrible impact it has.
Logan Redcay • Oct 1, 2014 at 8:01 am
Its amazing how a little popular trend to try and be cool has raised such awareness for the ALS disease. While people try and be cool they question what ALS is and raise awareness.
Carol Ann • Sep 30, 2014 at 1:31 pm
Most of the people that did the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, did it for the attention, the gratification, the approval of their peers. Not many people did it for the cause. People did it to be “cool” and because others were doing it.