As promised, Santa Barbara Middle School Head of School Brian McWilliams came to campus Friday with a purple mohawk hairdo.

During a recent student fundraiser called “Pedal and Paddle,” McWilliams vowed to sport a mohawk if the students raised $50,000 toward their new school.

On Friday morning, the pledge count topped the $50,000 mark.

The first-ever “Pedal and Paddle” fundraiser will help in the overall capital campaign to raise $2.68 million for the lease and renovations at the former Jefferson Elementary campus on APS. To date, $1.9 million has been pledged. Santa Barbara Middle School is moving in June, when Brooks Institute moves out.

The two top fundraisers each received iPads. Ninth-grader Curtis Wahtne raised nearly $2,100, and eighth-grader Camilla Guerra solicited 80 pledges — more than any other student.

The Pedal and Paddle event on April 23 drew more than 200 SBMS adults, students and supporters.

The event was made possible in part by local companies Chicken Ranch, Channel Islands Outfitters, Santa Barbara Outfitters, Loreto Plaza, A-Frame Surf Shop, Hazard’s Cyclesport, Ipso Facto Creative Group and Serigraph Printing.

— Larry Good is a Santa Barbara Middle School parent.