Students at Immanuel Lutheran School didn’t just meet their fundraising goal during Lutheran Schools Week — they blew past it, and their principal paid the price in hair and beard.
During a school assembly Thursday, Feb. 5, students watched with cheers, laughter, and wide-eyed anticipation as Principal Andy Spieler had his hair and longtime beard cut off in front of the entire school. The lighthearted moment was the reward students earned after raising more than $27,000 to help cover remaining construction expenses for a new classroom.
The original goal had been $20,000.
“The whole idea was to re-excite people about our building fund and remind everyone why it matters,” Spieler said. “But the really cool thing was that it turned into a true community effort.”
The fundraiser was part of Lutheran Schools Week, which Spieler said always focuses on recognizing blessings while giving back. In addition to the building fund effort, the school also held a food drive that filled hallways with donated items — enough, he said, to nearly fill a pickup truck and a half for the church’s food pantry.
The haircut challenge began as a teacher committee idea, with tiered incentives designed to motivate students. At $5,000, students earned a recess reward. At $10,000, a pie-in-the-face was promised. At $15,000, Spieler would lose his beard. And at $20,000, both head and beard would go.
Students didn’t hesitate. “They just kept going,” Spieler said. “They raised $27,000, so they got all of it.”
Adding to the excitement was the encouragement for students to earn donations rather than simply ask for them. Some held bake sales, while others did extra chores for grandparents or neighbors.
“That part was important to us,” Spieler said. “It wasn’t just about asking for money. It was about teaching work ethic and service.” The moment itself was equal parts suspense and humor. As local salon professional Carissa Cochran began trimming Spieler’s hair, students chanted encouragement — and briefly gasped when she lightly trimmed his eyebrows, causing some students to believe they might disappear entirely.
“You could see looks of horror or pure joy on their faces,” Spieler said, laughing.
Cochran, whose children previously attended the school, said she was happy to take part.
“He’s a great guy, and the kids were going to love it,” she said. “I had no doubt they would reach their goal.”
For Spieler, the change was more than cosmetic. He had worn facial hair for more than 20 years, and his wife, Jenn — a teacher at the school — hadn’t seen him without a beard since their college years.
“ It’s definitely a change,” he said. “But it was absolutely worth it.”
Beyond the assembly, the event sparked conversation throughout Perryville and on social media, where photos and videos quickly circulated.
“It became an icebreaker,” Spieler said. “People I don’t normally talk to were stopping me, making comments. It reminded me how much people genuinely care about what we do here.”
Spieler said the experience reinforced the school’s connection to the broader community and affirmed the value placed on both education and faith.
“This was just an awesome reminder that people value Immanuel Lutheran School,” he said. “Not just financially — but in the way they show up and support us.”
The fundraiser’s momentum isn’t finished yet. The promised pie-in-the-face event is still to come, giving students one more reward — and one more memory — from a week that proved generosity can be both meaningful and fun.
