Middle school in Mass. offers free haircuts at new in-house barbershop
Free Barbershop “Husky Kutz” Opens at Lowell Center College to Present Haircuts for College students
At Sullivan Center College in Lowell, neighborhood college supervisor Gayl Hurley observed that not all college students had been capable of get the important back-to-school haircut. Some college students had been dealing with obstacles reminiscent of being in homeless shelters or not having transportation to a barber store. Recognizing the necessity, Hurley spearheaded the opening of “Husky Kutz,” a completely operational barbershop inside the college, providing free haircuts to college students.
The barbershop, named after the varsity’s mascot, celebrated its ribbon-cutting occasion lately and can start providing cuts in December. Situated within the eighth-grade wing of the center college, Husky Kutz is a state-inspected, licensed facility outfitted with a spinning barber pole, a husky mural painted by the varsity’s artwork instructor, a barber chair, and a worth record providing common haircuts, fades, blow-outs, and shape-ups—all for gratis to the scholars.
Joseph L’Heureux, a 30-year-old barber who co-owns a barbershop in Dracut, would be the sole barber at Husky Kutz, dedicating his time to giving free haircuts to college students each Monday. L’Heureux, who has been chopping hair professionally since 2014, expressed his enthusiasm for the undertaking, stating that it offers a secure house for youths to specific themselves and increase their confidence.
The initiative was impressed by Hurley in January of 2022, resulting in the procurement of a state allow, collection of the situation, and collaboration with L’Heureux to make Husky Kutz a actuality. The barbershop’s schedule is already booked into January, with L’Heureux servicing six youngsters every Monday morning, providing not simply haircuts but additionally mentorship and optimistic interactions with the scholars.
In accordance with L’Heureux, “While you look good, you are feeling good.” He sees his position not simply as a barber however as a optimistic male position mannequin for all college students, aiming to offer steerage and assist past simply chopping hair. The barbershop is open to all college students, each ladies and boys, guaranteeing that everybody feels comfy and welcomed within the house.
Except for providing free haircuts, Husky Kutz is an element of a bigger effort by Hurley to offer varied providers to Sullivan college students and households, together with in-house dentist appointments, eye exams, and glasses fittings. The institution of a free barbershop inside the college is a pioneering initiative, with Hurley and L’Heureux hoping that it’ll encourage different colleges and barbers to copy the mannequin of their communities.
Reflecting on the impression of Husky Kutz, Hurley emphasised, “You would possibly suppose it is only a haircut, however it’s greater than that.” The barbershop serves as a tangible image of care and assist for college students who could also be dealing with monetary hardships or different challenges, providing them not only a haircut however a way of belonging and confidence as they navigate their center college years.
