Many students have been inspired by a teacher, but few would be willing to jump in a pool filled with cold water on a chilly, rainy day in March. Yet for a recruit class, an inspirational instructor was one of the reasons students did just that.Students of Recruit class 77 jumped into a pool of ice-cold water as part of the Polar Plunge, which benefits Special Olympics, partly as a way to honor their instructor, Paul Stuhmer.
Ned Hartwick, class president and a Fitchburg police officer, said, “Mr. Stuhmer serves as a role model for us.” Hartwick describes Stuhmer as someone who could be enjoying retirement but chooses to teach instead. “He’s the right person for the job.”
Hartwick added that Stuhmer has taught the class “how to be the best Law Enforcement officers they can be” through his actions.
Hartwick explained this was a cause Stuhmer had been involved in, and although he made no effort to influence the class, they decided to participate anyway.
“It was a way for us to honor his commitment and service to making us better law enforcement officers.”
The other reason many students jumped at the opportunity to do this was due to family involvement. For Hartwick, he had volunteered for Special Olympics in the past and his mother and aunt taught special education.
For April Hermann, Special Olympics “hits home.” She has cousins who were swimmers in Special Olympics in the past. “It’s a great cause and a great organization.”
This event was part of a community service project the class is required to do. The intent is to teach the students the value of community service.
According to Kristin Studinski-Toryfter “(The project) sets a really good tone for what we have to do in our profession.”
Gabriel Frusti said volunteer service shows the community “that (police officers) are here to serve you both on and off the job.” According to Paul Stuhmer, the class the students are involved in is the stand-alone academy that is 13 weeks long.
The result will be the same as the Friday Academy, in which they will become certifiable police officers.
The difference is that this class is open to anyone with 60 college credits, although some have their masters degrees and one was a prosecuting attorney for Racine County.
Stuhmer was a Milwaukee police officer for 29 years, and strongly believes in the value of community service and community trust. “You can’t break the trust of the community.”
He sees volunteer service as a way of gaining that trust. Stuhmer, who graduated from MATC in 1979, has taught here for six years.
According to Stuhmer, the projects the students are required to do are left up to the students, “We plant the seed and they run with it.”
As for the Polar Plunge, “they didn’t have to do this.” But it really has meant a lot to Stuhmer because the students are investing not only money, but their time as well.
According to Hartwick, another event the class plans to do is a Pizza Party and Squad Day with a first grade class. It will be a fund raising event with proceeds going to Special Olympics as well.
They plan to bring in emergency vehicles from different departments and fingerprinting.
An added advantage to doing this event “is to show younger kids that police officers are caring, friendly people that are here to help,” Hartwick said.
The students raised about $2,000 for Special Olympics. Although it was the passion of an instructor’s value of community service, it also was the hearts of Special Olympians that encouraged the students to make the plunge.
Michael Luell, who has volunteered for Special Olympics in the past, said the Special Olympians look at police officers as though they’re some form of superhero, “but they’re they ones who are really giving us the joy and benefit of working with them. It’s really a privilege.
