CARTER COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) -- Jordan Holbrook has a unique way of dealing with the cancer that's attacked his young body.

“Just don't think anything of it,” he said.

He may not think anything of it, but his classmates at West Carter Middle School certainly do.

“Hit me pretty hard because he's my best friend,” Christian Grills said. “I didn't really know how to react to it. “

But when Grills did figure out how to react, he got the whole school involved. He convinced them to shave their heads so Jordan wouldn't have to face this battle alone.

“I figured since he has to go through it that I should be behind him going through it with him,” Grills said.

More than 20 kids shaved their heads on stage Tuesday to support Jordan's fight.

“I believe it means a lot to him to know that his friends are behind him always backing him up,” Grills said.

“What went through your head when you heard they were going to do all this today?” WSAZ.com's Lauren Schmoll asked Holbrook.

“That I was going to go up and see it,” Holbrook said.

Eighth-grade teacher Chuck Clark handed over the clippers to Jordan for the first shave of the day -- himself.

He says he's proud of the way his students have reacted.

“To see a group of eighth-graders kind of rise up and say, you know, 'We want to do this for our buddy; we want to do this for one of our teammates.' It gives you something to be thankful for, especially during this time of year and knowing things are going the way they are,” Clark said. “It makes your heart smile. “

Grills says it's forced him and his classmates to grow up a little faster.

“Before it happened, we all acted kind of childish,” Grills said. “Now we've grown up to understand that we should be good around everybody cause you never know what's going to happen.”

Holbrook says the whole ordeal has taught him two very important lessons.

“Stay strong,” Holbrook said. “Trust God.”

They're lessons this student body is learning from one of their own.