Coosa teachers bare their beans to rally around ill colleague

Diagnosed with breast cancer in May, Karen Harris said her students at Coosa Elementary School have helped her stay strong and positive during the past several months.

"I need these children just as much as they need me," Harris said. "They help me keep going."

When she started chemotherapy and began losing her hair, the staff at Coosa Elementary organized a fundraiser to honor the pre-kindergarten assistant. On Friday, three teachers volunteered to let students pay $1 to cut their hair to raise money for Harris and her family.

Staff members also wore pink to school and paid $5 for the privilege of wearing jeans, something not typically allowed under the school dress code.

"It's very humbling," Harris said. "I'm a talker and I talk all the time, but every once in awhile you don't know what to say except, 'Thank you.'"

Third-grade teacher Jim Olsen, one of the three men who shaved his head for Harris, said he is in awe of the great attitude and sense of humor she has maintained. On the first day back to school, he said Harris shared funny stories with students about "vacations" to hospitals when the class discussed what they did on their summer break.

"As a retired Marine, I've seen a lot of brave things, but they pale compared to the courage and attitude Karen Harris displays on a daily basis," Olsen said. "It's easy to be brave for a few minutes, but she wakes up to it every day."

Olsen -- who started letting his hair grow in August to prepare for Friday -- said he will keep his head shaved as long as Harris is undergoing chemotherapy.

"The thing I'm trying to teach our kids is that we all have to pull together and take care of each other," Olsen said.

Harris said she hopes sharing some of her experiences will help children better understand cancer and its effects.

"I hope it takes the fear out of illness for some of the students," she said.

Harris said her students are curious and ask why she is changing. She said her bandana slipped off the other day and a student bluntly asked: "Mrs. Harris, what happened to your hair?"

"They see you every day and children are very intuitive," Harris said. "They know when you don't feel good and when something changes with you."