Having been retired for almost a decade, the ice bucket challenge has risen to popularity once again as it takes the Internet by storm.

Initially, the purpose of the 2014 ice bucket challenge was to raise awareness for ALS (or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a neurodegenerative disease that causes loss of muscle control in the nervous system, paralysis and imminent death.

Now, the challenge is centered more around mental health in support of the nonprofit organization “Active Minds.” This organization, along with many others, promotes the importance of mental health, especially among adolescents.

The challenge follows a chain reaction: an individual gets nominated, the individual pours an ice bucket over his or her head, and then the individual nominates others to do the same. Through this, thousands of people in the United States have participated and donated to the organization to help fight against mental health struggles.

Sebastian Perez, a rising senior, shares his relationship toward the ice bucket challenge. Although he didn’t do the challenge “back in 2016,” he recalled seeing YouTubers complete it.

This time, however, he gave it a try. “Honestly, I did it for fun and to encourage others to do it as well,’’ he said. “I believe it was a good way to involve people and get your name out,” he said.

Vidonia Thompson also took the challenge. “My friends nominated me and I wanted to spread awareness,’’ she said.

She supports the challenge because it’s a good way to get the youth involved and get them to talk about mental health and spreading the importance of it.
“It’s definitely a good way to advocate since a lot of kids fall under peer pressure; but this is a good kind of peer pressure,’’ she said.

Bringing back the challenge especially with heightened mental health issues over the past few years was a “good decision as it brings back the focus back onto mental health,’’ she said.

Annie Jones, a freshman, also took on the challenge. “What encouraged me to do the ice bucket challenge was to help spread awareness of mental health,’’ she said.
She also did the ice bucket challenge in 2016 with one of her friends. “It’s really nostalgic since I was so young although I didn’t really know what it was.”

She views the challenge as an important way to spread awareness “since mental health is a big struggle in the world and it’s definitely hard to overcome.’’

Jemny Santana, a counselor at Bronx River HS, is pleased to see people focusing on the importance of mental health. “Mental health is very important,” she says.
Santana hope’s today’s teens will “build better habits and have beneficial mindsets.”