Ladies and gentleman, it is time to put down your razors and get hairy! “No-Shave November” is here, which means participants will be foregoing shaving for the month in order to raise awareness about cancer and to embrace their hair, which many cancer patients lose during treatment.

Both men and women can participate by skipping those waxing appointments and allowing their body hair to grow, donating their monthly funds typically set aside for hair removal to the “No-Shave November” cause. With the money donated by participants, the organization invests in groundbreaking cancer research and services for cancer patients. North Atlanta has been a big supporter of this cause for a few years now, and many students and teachers enjoy taking part in it and spreading awareness about cancer.

Now, the most important factor to establish about “No-Shave November” is that men aren’t the only ones who can participate. Especially seeing as women tend to spend the most money on hair removal, this month is a perfect opportunity to call both men and women to action by showing their support for such a worthy cause. In fact, one of North Atlanta’s own beloved chemistry teachers, Ms. Jeanne Hall, is taking part in the movement by refraining from shaving her legs for the month. Hall has become a much bigger activist for cancer awareness since the summer when her best friend of 41 years was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. “One month of not shaving is nothing for those of us without cancer,” she said. “I love to see all those good-looking men supporting the cause, walking around our school, killing it with that facial hair,” said Hall.

The “No-Shave November” journey is partnered with many organizations to achieve its mission, including the Prevent Cancer Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Alongside these organizations, “No-Shave November” is able to collect over a million dollars each year to fund cancer research. This year, North Atlanta is a cut above the rest, with a whole lot of participation in the journey this year. Scruffy men and women can be seen walking around the building, bringing awareness to all types of cancer throughout the month.

Along with being a good cause, “No-Shave November” is a fun way for men, especially, to show off their powerful beard-growing skills. French instructor Phillipe Maury has been a “No-Shave November” supporter for a long time and always enjoys participating and growing his facial hair as far as it can go. “This year, I think I can grow my beard out so long that I could step on it,” he said.

Journalism instructor Jack Stenger said he does “No-Shave” every year to promote the cause but also, he said, to save time. “What could be better than saving 10 minutes every day because I don’t have to shave my whiskers,” he said. “More time to drink my coffee and read the newspaper.”

No matter the reason you are participating or how you grow out your hair, there is always a way to get involved in this great cause. If you aren’t ready to get hairy, you can always donate or support others who are foregoing hair removal. It doesn’t take much to spread awareness about cancer. In fact, it can be something of a fun challenge, like growing out your beard to your waist. So students, enjoy your male teachers’ beards because it might be “hair today, gone tomorrow.”