High school student Jayde Fraser gets her head shaved by Cosmetology teacher Stacey Wright to raise money for mental health resources in Alberta on November 23. Nicholas Allen photo.
Nicholas L. M. Allen
Nov 30, 2022
“It’s a shock but I'm happy to do it and I hope we raise a lot of money”
A high school student in the Crowsnest Pass shaved her head to raise money for mental health resources in Alberta on November 23.
Alana Paterson, a teacher at CCHS, worked with student Jayde Fraser on the fundraiser. Originally, Fraser only raised $60 but still wanted to go through with shaving her head according to Paterson.
Since she brought back her first donation sheet, she said they have raised a “bunch more” with the goal of beating Livingstone School. The idea stemmed from a teacher at Livingstone School to help raise money for Alberta Mental Health.
“Movember is always something that you can do in November, but he wanted to do something different. And his brainchild that he came up with was that he would ask the male staff members to grow their facial hair and then have students vote towards how they want the staff members to eventually shave their facial hair,” said Paterson.
Fraser shaving her head was an extension of the fundraising they are doing, with votes for teacher’s facial hair costing a dollar or a donation of canned food for the food bank.
“All the money goes to Alberta Mental Health... the funds raised stay within Alberta and the mental health services that each area can provide,” said Paterson.
According to Paterson, this means that the money donated by the community for this fundraiser will help benefit the community as well. There is another student that plans to shave only the top of his head forming a “cul-de-sac" out of his hairline to help get donations.
“We are in competition with Livingstone School and currently [they are] in the lead,” said Paterson, “They did have two weeks of a head start, so we're going till December 8.”
After hearing about the event, she said it took a little while to convince the male staff members to let their facial hair grow. The one who required no convincing was Fraser explained Paterson.
“[Fraser] was the very first person that came to me and said I want to do this. She's an incredible person,” she said.
Paterson believed that students seeing their friends have their heads shaved would be a motivation for them to donate. She said it is a good opportunity to bring students and staff together.
“It's obviously good for Alberta Mental Health, but it’s good for the school culture and community as well,” she continued.
Cosmetology teacher Stacey Wright was the one to shave Fraser’s head, adding that she was nervous about cutting her student’s hair.
“It’s a shock but I'm happy to do it and I hope we raise a lot of money,” said Wright.