National Breast Cancer Awareness month in October is dedicated to bringing funds and awareness to the 1 in 8 US women who develop invasive breast cancer at some point in their life. For the past two years, Student Council has held a “Kiss the Pig” fundraiser, where students donate money to vote for a staff member to kiss a local pig on the snout, all to bring money and attention to the cause.

Last year’s nominee, assistant principal Jason Harris is in the running again for the 2018 donation competition, but wasn’t particularly fond of his experience with the pig last year.

“Well last years experience kissing the pig was somewhat salty and wet when I touched the snout of the pig,” Harris said. “It oinked at me, so overall, it wasn’t a great experience that I went through.”

While the current votes reflect last year’s consensus with Harris in the lead, he is not concerned about being nominated, and still believes that there is time for the polls to shift to another staff member.

“Well right now it’s looking that way,” Harris said. “I have an inside source saying that some of the money may be going instead of my jar, to Coach Kaiser’s jar.”

Boys’ soccer coach Fred Kaiser is the runner up in cash collection, and is also unconcerned about being the nominee to kiss the pig

“When I was approached asking if I was ok with it first thing I asked was if Mr. Harris was in it,” Kaiser said. “When they said yes, I said absolutely I’m all for it, because absolutely no one is going to win but Mr. Harris so, were good.”

Band director Zach Anderson sides with Kaiser and believes Harris is a shoo-in to kiss the pig at the pep rally.

“I knew last year that Mr. Harris was just going get it, when I saw the email, and his name on the ballot,” Anderson said. “And in checking, I didn’t even have anything in my bucket, and his was looking pretty full.”

Anderson believes that Harris’s position in the school and his over all face time with the students is what gives Harris an edge over other teachers.

“I think that Mr. Harris is such a visible person all over, and I’m kind of stuck over here in this side of campus,” Anderson said. “He’s such a visible person and everybody knows him and sees him on a daily basis as to where just the band students see me.”

The fourth contestant to kiss the pig, football and baseball coach Kenny Schiumo, is excited for the effect it will have on the school spirit and unity.

“I think that anytime the kids can get behind something it’s really good. I think that when they come together and they are all in kahoots to see who is going to be chosen, it’s phenomenal,” Shuimo said. “Everybody gets on the same page and everybody wants to see somebody at the pep rally do it, and that means people will show up to the pep rally too, which is another plus.”

Rohan Gopinathan donated to vote for the pig kisser, and looks forward to the fun aspect of seeing a teacher kiss a pig, along with donating to an important cause.

“I voted for Kaiser because Kaiser is my soccer coach, and I think it would be hilarious to see him kiss a pig,” Gopinathan said. “Any money toward breast cancer helps right? So I think it’s not the way [of donating] that’s important. We can see this as fun and at the same time support the cause.”