English teacher Joe Thornburg watched as one of his friends discovered his son had a tumor. And he saw the horror his friend went through in thinking it might be malignant.
"If it would have been, I would have done anything to help him," Thornburg said.
It turned out not to be cancer, but Thornburg still is determined to help terminally ill children -- even if it means shaving his head.
Thornburg and five other male teachers at Carson High School volunteered to be part of a contest to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.
Each teacher will have a jar labeled with their name. Students and teachers will put money in the jar of the candidate they would most like to see shave his head.
The winner -- or loser, depending on point of view -- will have his head shaved during an assembly Oct. 3.
"We think this is going to bring in tons of money," said student-body President Megan Petterson. "Even the teachers are excited about it, not just the kids."
Students are asking local barbers and beauticians to volunteer to shave the teacher's head. Names will be placed in a hat and the one drawn will do the honors.
Leadership students approached teachers with the idea. Some refused, but others accepted without hesitation.
"I thought it would be funny -- look at my ears," said English teacher Robert Chambers. "If I look silly for a while and help kids, it will be worth it."
Welding teacher Charles Shirley has always been active in fund-raising for the foundation. He is one of the head-shaving candidates this year and already has developed a strategy.
"I'll just have to start saving my money so I can dump it in everybody else's jars," he said.
Along with other fund-raisers for the cause, students usually sell paper cutouts of Senator Men for $1 each. The class that raises the most money wins.
For the past two years, students have raised about $28,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Others in the running to have their heads shaved are: Jeff Evans, dean of students; Mike Popp, math teacher and Fred Steinle, world history and psychology teacher who was selected as September's teacher of the month.
Barbers and beauticians interested in participating are asked to call Carson High School's leadership class at 283-1770.
YOU CAN HELP
Barbers and beauticians interested in participating are asked to call Carson High School's leadership class at 283-1770.
