— — They did it for Stella ... and all the children like her.

On Friday morning, Stella Usiak, 8, perched on a chair in a gymnasium at North Tonawanda High School, still huddled in her coat on the chilly day, watching as clumps of senior Zachary Roberts’ thick, dark hair fell to the floor — a living reminder of why dozens of NTHS students were going Bald for Bucks to raise money for Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Jen Usiak, Stella’s mother, said the Gilmore Elementary School student was diagnosed last March with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Roberts’ little sister is Stella’s best friend.

“Their family’s been very supportive of Stella and us,” she said. “It took a lot of pain meds to get here, but she really wanted to be here.”

Roberts went under the shears as a gesture of solidarity with Usiak and her family.

“When I heard about this, I thought it would be a good thing to do to help support her,” he said. “I know it’s been a really tough time for her.”

On Friday, Stella’s hair was just a faint fuzz on her head. The student is about to lose her hair for the third time due to chemotherapy, Jen Usiak said, “so it was really nice she got to see a girl do it, too.”

That girl was sophomore Allison Sulkowski, who was the only female to have her head shaved Friday. She saved one narrow braid from her brown hair as a reminder.

“Cancer is a such a terrible thing, and it affects everyone ... rich, poor, young, old,” she said. “I think if we can work together, we can stop it.”

Diana Cornell, who teaches Participation in Government classes, said the school’s Bald for Bucks event was started to offer students an alternative to their final exam by working on a community-service project. The whole thing, from inception to Friday’s event, was their creation, Cornell said.

“They were the organizers,” she said. “They were the ones who reached out to the community, to the people at home and at school. I’m just the advisor.

“The class is Participating in Government. And we really want them to participate.”

Ultimately, 46 people took part, raising more than $4,000 to go to Roswell by gathering pledges to shave their heads (or least get a very short cut). Seniors Bobby Stuff and Joe Taylor together raised $1,254 toward the project.

Stuff said he did it in honor of his grandmother, who beat cancer six months ago after undergoing treatment at Roswell.

“A lot of teachers supported us,” he said. “ And I work at Wegmans and all the managers were really generous.”

In addition, the duo hit NT basketball games for money — Taylor as a player, Stuff as a fundraiser.

“While he was on the court, I was going through the stands getting money for this,” Stuff said. “We have a lot of packed stands at games.”

 Emily Smaldino, special events coordinator for Roswell, said she was very impressed by how organized the students were and how many people turned out for the first-year event.

“I think everyone has been touched by cancer in one way or another,” she said. “This is a way to help. All the money goes right to Roswell Park and our research.”

Chelsea Meister, co-owner of Bliss Salon and Day Spa on Payne Avenue, which donated time and employees to the event to cut hair, agreed. “I think it’s great that the teachers are getting involved too.”

About five teachers took part alongside their students. One was Arman Afshani, a social studies teacher, who had his longish hair cut close to his head.

“It’s for the kids,” he said. “They’re the real heroes, the kids who are fighting cancer. We’re just helping them out.”

As student Nikolas Xenopoulos ran his hand over his freshly shaved head, he called the whole experience “crazy” — but in a good way.

“It’s a lot shorter than I thought,” he admitted. “My mom’s probably going to kill me.

“But that’s OK. It’s for a good cause.”