by Cori Hilsgen
Kennedy Community School students delighted in plopping pies into their teachers’ faces and giving some of them haircuts at a recent fun fest.
The May 31 event was a celebration of the end of their annual walkathon and an appreciation for the funds they raised.
The pie in teachers’ faces and haircutting took place in the gymnasium in front of students and staff.
Students who were able to raise a determined amount of walkathon money were part of a drawing by the volunteering teacher participants. A few lucky students were chosen to perform the coveted tasks.
Teachers who participated in the pie-in-teachers’ faces were Kristen Mattick, choir teacher; Diane Moeller, principal; Pat Forte, sixth-grade teacher; Rick Wilson, seventh- and eighth-grade science teacher; Dan Schaefer, instructional leader; and Kelli Maurer, seventh- and eighth-grade language arts teacher.
Teachers who participated in the hair cutting were Wilson; Mike Stuber, seventh- and eighth-grade social studies teacher; Tom Johnston, seventh-grade health teacher; and Jon Ritter, physical education teacher.
Some of the students who participated in the hair-cutting event were Cassie Huckenpoehler, MacKenzie Huesers, Cole Stroot, Olivia Hoeschen, Joel Knopp, Kassie Voigt, Haden Jansen and Dallas Berg-Kalsheuer.
Almost 750 Kennedy peers clapped their hands on the gymnasium floor and chanted encouragement as the participating students placed the pies and started shaving the hair.
The first teacher to get his hair cut was Ritter. Joel Knopp and Kassie Voigt were the chosen students to start shaving his hair. His co-workers – Wilson, Stuber, Johnston – watched apprehensively as they waited their turns.
When students Cassie Huckenpoehler and MacKenzie Huesers started shaving Wilson’s hair, audience participants started chanting for them to shave his beard too. He quickly pulled his plastic cape up to cover his beard; they did not shave his beard.
Sitting next to Wilson was Stuber, who also had a beard. Stuber told Haden Jansen and Dallas Berg-Kalsheuer they could shave his beard so they began working on the beard.
The last teacher to get his hair cut was Johnston. Cole Stroot and Hoeschen shaved his head.
Moeller said walkers logged 2,302 miles and raised almost $20,000.
Money collected is used to support the Kennedy Parent Teacher Association. This year’s funds will be used for library books.
The PTA is responsible for various fundraisers and activities throughout the year. Some of them include an ice-cream social, fall fundraiser, book fair, reflections program, dance, family bingo night and the walkathon.
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