MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Riverdale High School will once again turn school spirit into lifesaving support as it hosts a signature head-shaving event benefiting the St. Baldrick’s Foundation on Friday, March 13, 2026. Organizers have set a fundraising goal of $30,000 to advance research aimed at finding cures and improving treatments for childhood cancer.
The event, part of the Foundation’s nationwide “Brave the Shave” movement, will begin at 2 p.m. inside the Riverdale gymnasium, located at 802 Warrior Drive. Participants — known as “Shavees” and “Choppers” — will shave their heads or cut their hair in solidarity with children battling cancer. This year’s participants range in age from 6 to over 70 and include students, faculty, administrators, alumni, cancer survivors and family members.
Every major student organization on campus is involved, from Student Council and Band to Cheerleaders and JROTC, underscoring the schoolwide commitment to the cause.
Riverdale’s partnership with St. Baldrick’s began 14 years ago after a member of the school community was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. What started as a response to one family’s fight has grown into a cherished annual tradition that unites more than 2,000 students and the broader Murfreesboro community. School leaders say the mission remains urgent: one in five children diagnosed with cancer in the United States will not survive, and many who do endure long-term side effects from aggressive treatments.
Honored families this year include Riverdale teacher Huijuk Choe, along with dozens of shavees, volunteers, supporters — including the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office — and donors.
As the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation continues to support innovative research worldwide. Organizers invite the public to attend, donate or register to participate through the event page at stbaldricks.org/events/Warriors2026.
Rutherford County Schools, which serves more than 52,000 students across 52 campuses during the 2025-2026 academic year, consistently ranks among the top-performing districts in Tennessee in academics, planning and school safety.
For more information, contact Kenneth Honeycutt at 615-890-6450 ext. 23653 or honeycuttk@rcschools.net
