Wake principal goes from hair to bare to reward students’ success on tests
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- Leesville Road students beat targets with 92.6% K–2 and 86.5% 3–5 proficiency.
- Cohen shaved his 37‑year‑old beard onstage.
- Fifth‑graders scored 93% on their science exam, contributing to the totals.
For the last 13 years, Principal Ari Cohen has cheered on his students at Leesville Road Elementary from behind a bushy gray beard — a signature crop of facial hair it took 37 years to grow.
And each year, he offered a tantalizing challenge: ace your end-of-year exams, and I’ll shave it off clean. On stage in public. While all of you watch.
To Cohen’s immense delight, and private terror, the kids at Leesville Road knocked that challenge out of the park this year, scoring even higher than expected.
So true to his word, Cohen took his beard out for a nice dinner and movie Wednesday night, then read it a final love letter on the gymnasium stage Thursday as a pair of stylists brandished their clippers.
“Shave that beard!” chanted the gym full of 500 students. “Shave that beard.!”
With that, 37 years worth of wispy white tufts floated down to the stage.
“You made it happen,” said Cohen, his face suddenly smooth as a baby’s cheek. “As horrified as I am about this, I am so proud of you. Students, faculty and staff, this is all for you.”
Cohen will admit that test scores aren’t what motivates him, and he speaks of the pressure and anxiety that comes from the annual examinations — given to kids of single-digit age.
“What we’re trying to do is figure out ways to emphasize the importance of doing your best,” said Cohen. “I’ve never asked any candidates that I’ve been interviewing for a job, ‘Tell me how you did on your third through fifth-grade EOGs.”
He asked that students shoot for 85% proficiency, and he got 92.6% from the kindergartners to second-graders; 86.5% from third to fifth. Break those numbers down further and the fifth-graders hit 93% on their science exams.
Cohen gave all credit to his teachers and staff, many of them younger than the hair on his face, then dished out all the reward.
“I’m feeling nauseous,” he said in a private pre-shave moment. “I have no idea what is under here. I was 19 when I started growing it. I was in great shape. I had a chiseled jawline. I have no idea how many chins are under here. But I’m like a Chia pet. It’s going to come back pretty quickly.”
Onstage, he told students that his wife and daughters had never seen him clean-shaven. Then the stylists spun his chair backward and leaned in for the trim.
“Are we done?” he asked the crowd, sideburns gone.
The screamed and pumped fists. Acing tests is fun.
“Are we done?” he asked later, shorn down to a goatee.
More screaming.
One more time, Cohen spun around to reveal himself beardless, which drew shrieks to shake the walls.
“It’s done,” he told the kids. “You did it.”
Within minutes, Cohen’s beard started to regrow, making any future shave challenges less compelling.
So next year? Maybe a pie to the face. He’ll think of something.
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