School faculty kiss pig, shave heads for charity

ROUND LAKE – It’s not every day a school principal will sport a mohawk. Or that staff members will voluntarily kiss a pig.

But the students at John T. Magee Middle School in Round Lake Park saw two of their authority figures shave their heads and two others kiss a squealing swine at an assembly Feb. 28.

“If it’s good for the kids and it will teach us a lesson somehow, we’ll do it,” Assistant Principal Jason Cummins said.

The event started when eighth-grade math teacher Curtis Rupert organized a math-a-thon to help raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The deal was simple. If the students were able to raise $4,000, Rupert would shave his head and Cummins and math teacher Stephanie Girod would each kiss a pig.

However, if $5,000 was raised, Principal Eric Gallagher would shave his head, as well.

As of Feb. 27, the day before the deadline, $4,095 had been raised – enough for one shaved head and two big smooches. But the kids wanted more.

Nickels, dimes and pennies came into the office all morning as the students rallied to earn enough for one big hair cut. Students weren’t the only ones chipping in, either.

“The bus drivers were bringing in money,” principal secretary Maxine Amedio said laughing.

Just before the assembly, it was announced that enough money had been raised to see Gallagher’s locks leave for good.

Sixth-grader Zainab Jivanjee raised $280 for St. Jude by asking family and friends for donations.

“I want kids to have a better life,” Jivanjee, 12, said.

Eighth-grader Manuel Ocana raised the most money individually, collecting $400 for the charity.

I just went around to churches and asked for money,” Ocana said. “We take advantage of everything we have.

“The kids who have cancer, I just want to help them – I just want to make them happy.”

Coincidentally, Ocana’s name was randomly drawn from a hat to be the first to shave Rupert’s head.

He sported a big smile as he took the razor in hand and made the first swipe. Gallagher’s wife, Kim – a hair stylist – tidied up.

And then it was Gallagher’s turn. Sixth-grader Erik Maplethorpe started the job, but the principal had his wife leave a little bit on top for a killer mohawk that he said he would keep for the rest of the day.

As for the big pig kiss, Cummins had just one question.

“Is it a girl pig?” he asked.