HEBRON — Maxwell Asa Middleton walked with 63 fellow Hebron Academy classmates into the Athletic Center for commencement wearing a pink turban.
Decorated with breast cancer ribbons, the turban had a twofold purpose.
The unusual headgear hid the fact that the young Hebron man with the wild and unruly hair since middle school had it cut last Saturday morning to accentuate his graduation speech about accepting change.
His long locks were removed “about two hours before graduation, so it was a surprise to everybody,” the 17-year-old said early Wednesday evening.
Many in the audience and classmates reacted with disbelief and gasps, then erupted in laughter when Max matter-of-factly said, “Well, I got a haircut this morning.”
The second reason for the pink head covering was Max donated his locks to the American Cancer Society’s Beautiful Lengths program.
Pantene Beautiful Lengths partners with the society to give free, real-hair wigs to cancer patients, its website states.
Additionally, the turban belonged to Max’s mom, Julie Middleton, a breast cancer survivor.
South Paris hair stylist Sabrina Kennison of Hot Colors and Hebron Academy senior Dong Hee Lee, the 2012 class vice president, cut Max’s hair, Julie Middleton said Thursday.
“Max had in mind this hair-cutting speech idea to connect with the speech he gave at the beginning of the year, for a long time,” Julie Middleton, the senior associate director of admission at Hebron Academy, said. “But it was talking with Sabrina that gave us the idea that his hair might just be long enough to donate. What a huge bonus that was, because we’ve had a lot of breast cancer in Max’s family and he is always making a statement.”
Julie said her mother, artist and activist Emily Reeve, passed away from breast cancer seven years ago.
Max’s paternal grandmother, Jean Middleton, a breast cancer survivor, watched Max graduate, she said.
“One year ago, almost to the day, on the day before graduation, I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and I am a survivor, too!” Julie Middleton said.
“That’s why I wore the pink turban,” Max Middleton said. “It wasn’t just to be silly.”
“My hair has been very, very long since I was in middle school, so it was kind of petrifying at first — really, really scary,” Max said. “But when I got up to the podium without my hair and saw people’s reactions, it was worth it. It was awesome. It was everything I wanted it to be.”
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- Prior to walking past proud families and friends at Saturday’s commencement at Hebron Academy, Class of 2012 Vice President Dong Hee Lee, carrying the banner at left, and president Maxwell Asa Middleton pause. The pair were the only two in line who knew why Max was wearing a pink American Cancer Society turban.
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- Hebron Academy senior class President Maxwell Asa Middleton of Hebron delivers his commencement address Saturday morning to 62 graduates. He had his long, curly hair cut earlier that morning and talked about welcoming change.
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- Maxwell Middleton, sixth-grade at Hebron Academy
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- Hebron Academy psychology teacher and women’s ice hockey coach Katie Coyne jokingly gives senior Maxwell Middleton of Hebron a “haircut” earlier this year.
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- At Hebron Academy’s baccalaureate ceremony May 25, Maxwell Middleton stands with math teacher and track coach Ian Cross. Middleton had his long hair cut off May 26 to accentuate his commencement speech about change and to donate his hair to the American Cancer Society’s Beautiful Lengths program.
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- Hebron Academy senior Maxwell Middleton stands with South Paris hair stylist Sabrina Kennison of Hot Colors after getting his long curly hair cut hours before graduating. His hair was donated to the American Cancer Society’s Beautiful Lengths program.
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- Maxwell Middleton, right, stands with Hebron Academy Trustee Paul Goodoff, Class of ’67. Both are recipients of the Phemister Award to honor a senior who has shown outstanding leadership and responsibility.
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