Q&A: High School Teacher Jennifer Siebert Will Shave It All Off For St. Baldrick's

Commack High School alum and current faculty member Jennifer Siebert will dare to be bare as she shaves her head Friday afternoon in support of the District's annual St. Baldrick's fundraiser. Siebert, a special education teacher, is the first female shavee to participate in the event. We caught up with her Wednesday to get her thoughts on the charity:

What made you decide to participate in St. Baldrick's?

"There's a poster hanging out in the hallway of a little boy. That poster really got to me. Luckily I have a healthy baby, but seeing it made me feel like I had to do something.  There are also several kids in the school who are currently have cancer. The one child that I named my fundraising child is Donna Coane, she's a junior who has a rare type of cancer in her nasal passage. She's an amazing girl who's very bravely fighting cancer right now. Some of these kids are fighting for their lives, and it's something that we all need to be aware of."

Why shave your head? Why not just donate money?

"I figured I would get more exposure, and I could get the word out to more people about St. Baldrick's. When females shave their heads, its always a bigger deal. I figured if I cut off my hair, I would attract more attention and therefore raise more money for the foundaton and raise awareness that it's not just adults suffering from cancer, but children."

What does your husband think about you shaving your head?

"When I originally told him about it, he said 'Go for it'. He's amazing and so supportive. He's already donated money to St. Baldrick's, and he's fundraising at his job so he can donate even more."

It's two days away from the big day. How are you feeling?

"I'm excited! Everyone's talking about it, the kids in my class are talking about it. I'm not really nervous. When I compare it to what these kids are going through, cutting my hair isn't a big deal. By this time next year, I'll have a cute little haircut—and hopefully Donna will, too."

Visit Jennifer's St. Baldrick's page to make a donation and stay tuned for more Patch coverage of the event—including photos of Jennifer post-shave.