Do you shave every day, once a week, or once a month? Well, select BHS students and staff will not shave their faces for a whole month! No-Shave November is finally taking off, now that it’s the start of November. No-Shave November is an event run by Berkley High School’s Student Leadership, where students and teachers compete against each other to see who will have the longest beard by the end of November. Voting is every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the SCAC during lunch until the end of November. Students can pay $1 for one vote or $3 for six votes. If you vote for the winner, you will be entered into a raffle to win a surprise prize! The goal of this event is not only to grow the longest beard but also to raise money for the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI).
NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization and prides itself in building a better life for people affected by mental illness. By providing education, advocacy, support, and public awareness, NAMI has helped thousands of people affected by mental illnesses. According to NAMI, by donating, “you help ensure that no individual or family is alone on their mental health journey.”
When asked about the event, junior Riley Shafritz, a member of Student Leadership stated, “We are very excited to support a great organization, and mental health is a huge challenge that many people face, and I’m glad we can help out.”
This year, many students and teachers are participating in No-Shave November. Out of the six students that are participating, half are seniors and the other half are juniors. The three seniors are Henry Pennington, Max Speelman, and Max Friedman. The juniors are Johnny Coleman, Ryan Rubenstein, and Freddy Greenfield. The three staff members who are also participating in the event are Mr. Horn, Mr. Samuelson, and Mr. Meacham.
Now that the participants have been announced the trending topic around the school is: Who is going to win No-Shave November? Students have many different answers to this question and there is no clear favorite. I asked junior Sydney Page, who is a part of Student Leadership if she has any predictions for who will win. Page replied saying, “I think Max Speelman will win, but honestly, I have no idea.”
The race is close, but the winner will be announced at the end of November. Just like any competition, rivalries are sprouting up throughout the participants. I had the chance to interview junior Ryan Rubenstein on his thoughts about the competition and if any trash talk has been going on behind the scenes.
“This year the competition is super even, and I think it’s going to be close,” stated Rubenstein about the event. He went on to say, “Mr. Horn won last year and he’s taking the students lightly. He’s been talking the most smack and he better back it up because we’re coming.”
You heard it here first, the trash talk is on and the drama is heating up! In response, Mr. Horn had to say, “Goat whiskers and patchy lawn shavings don’t count as beards, so I’m not worried about the students at all.”
Not only is the light-hearted competition getting a lot of buzz around the school, but it also helps raise money for Student Leadership and NAMI. On top of it being a lot of fun, it also works for a great cause. Good luck to everyone that is participating, and may the best beard win!