Racine Sun

Gateway Technical College recently hosted its "Spring is in the Hair" event as a win-win outing for neighborhood families and student barbers at the school.

A team of student barbers and stylists recently gathered to provide free haircuts and simple styles to students at Julian Thomas Elementary School, a recent report on RacineCountyEye.com said.

With the United Way as a partner, the event was further celebrated as an opportunity to provide confidence to some students and needed hygiene services for others.  

"I was approached by the school social worker who informed me that many families were having trouble accessing hygiene items," Julian Thomas coordinator Katie Tuttle said in the report. "I also noticed that some students were being bullied due to a lack of resources around haircutting and hairstyles."

Over the last six years, the aforementioned partnership has provided academic, family, financial, health and social support services throughout the three Racine Unified School District community schools that include Julian Thomas Elementary, Knapp Elementary and Mitchell K-8.

It all starts with Tuttle, who is entrusted with working to address problems impacting students as they are made public, the report said.

"Through place-based programming and local partnerships, we ensure that students, families and community members have the resources they need to succeed,” Tuttle said.

With "Spring is in the Hair" doubling as a hygiene drive, Tuttle noted that the event is just "one of many great community school events we host throughout the year for the students and families."

At "Spring is in the Hair," more than 50 haircuts and hairstyles were doled out, and the student barbers received training hours for their work, the report said. As this event progressed, the hygiene drive kicked into motion.

Donations are currently being accepted at Julian Thomas for the school-wide hygiene drive, the report said. For updates about upcoming events and resources at the community schools, please visit UnitedWayRacine.org/LIFT.