Leonardo da Vinci, Abraham Lincoln, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and Albus Dumbledore are all considered great men, and they all seem to be linked by one uniting force; great facial hair, something which has recently been seen around the halls of Monarch. Nov. 1 marked the beginning of scruffy faces, the hallmark of an annual tradition known as No shave November.

     No Shave November is a marathon of manliness, a strike on shaving for the entire month. Some people do it for a sports team, such as the playoffs for football. Others participate for attention. According to NoShaveNovember.org, this annual holiday was actually dedicated to Darfur genocide awareness this year. No matter what the reason for participating, this November was a razor-free spectacle to see.

     Sophomore Mariel Fulton, who claims to be attracted to the scruffy look, isn’t such a supporter by the end of the month.

     “No Shave November is nasty!” Fulton said.

     Unfortunately, No Shave November is only an option for a few mature students who have the ability to grow facial hair.

     “It’s kind of like asking a bald man to have long hair; if you’ve got it you can flaunt it. But, if not, then you might try choosing something else,” History teacher, Andrew Buhse said. Buhse is a noted member of the bearded community at Monarch who strives for a Chuck Norris look.

    Seniors Alex Puldy and Chris Contini are two students who pride themselves on their ability to grow full beards. Contini is a No Shave November veteran, whereas this was Puldy’s first year participating. They turned the event into a full on competition, Puldy aiming for a Jack Sparrow look and Contini attempting a Sean Connery appeal.

     “It’s nice knowing that I can grow facial hair a lot better than my friends,” Contini said.

     Undisputedly, there is a sense of pride and accomplishment within the male, beard growing community when it comes to who can grow the best facial hair.

     “The beards here at Monarch are pretty good,” Buhse said. “I’d be curious to see of all the students who have beards here at Monarch, what their love life is like.”

     Contini, Puldy and Fulton all agree that women aren’t usually attracted to the large amounts of facial hair which have been gracing the faces of participating students. However, this is a tradition that gathers fresh, matured faces every year, and with a cult following it doesn’t seem like it will be going away anytime soon.

     “I just hope no one treats me differently because I have a crusty ass beard on my face,” Puldy said.