Although No-Shave November has come and gone, one teacher at Prior Lake High School continues to raise awareness for the men’s health issues by participating in his own personal no-shave December, January, February and March.

Mr. Gaudette, government teacher and reigning No-Shave champ (his classes collectively raised $1401 for The Prostate Cancer Foundation), brought the fundraising idea to student council four years ago after being inspired by the Susan G. Komen foundation and the The No-Shave foundation itself.

Combining silly facial hair humor and friendly competition (although Mr. Gaudette feels otherwise: “Competitors? They really weren’t competitors.”) , No-Shave provides the opportunity to learn about cancers that affect men. If caught early, these cancers are often highly treatable. Raising awareness for male cancer saves the lives of “dads, grandfathers, uncles, and brothers” says Mr. Gaudette.

In the four years student council has sponsored the No-Shave Competition, Mr. Gaudette has won first place three times (2014, 2015, and 2017). As tradition holds, upon winning the competition, Mr. Gaudette lets his students decide how he shaves his beard. In past years, both the Fu Manchu and the Ambrose Burnside (the Civil War general) styles have made an appearance, although 2017’s Ken Bone style stands as a class favorite.

No-Shave November 2018 will not occur for 10 months, however, Mr. Gaudette is already brainstorming ways to improve and expand the fundraiser. In the future, Mr, Gaudette hopes to find a way to involve the female teachers at the high school, as well as improving the association between the humorous facial hair and the causes for which the No-Shave foundation raises awareness. As the fundraiser gains popularity among the student body, Mr Gaudette stresses: “We’ve got it started, now we take it to the next level.”