BOISE, Idaho — Summer vacation is slowly coming to an end for Treasure Valley students may feel happy or a bit nervous about returning to school.
To help students feel confident on their first day, the Caldwell School District partnered with Boise Barber College and Level Up Barber and Beauty to provide free haircuts for kids.
The Free-Back to School Haircuts event will be held on Friday, Aug. 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Wilson Elementary in Caldwell. Event organizers are inviting families to attend and get their children a free haircut before school starts.
The director of Boise Barber College, Sarah Ward, said that events like this are important for the community and students.
"A haircut that makes them feel good is extremely important for us, too. Going back to school and new school means they're meeting new people and making new friends," she said. "So being able to give them haircuts and give them that confidence to start school is extremely important.”
Level-up barber and beauty co-owner Fermin Figueroa, or Frogi Cutz, agrees with Ward and said they are not asking anything in return because putting a smile on a child's face is all the thanks they need.
"It's more about helping out your community to put a smile on somebody's face, a kid's face that cannot make it to a barbershop because they don't make means for it. It feels great, it feels good," he said. "If I can give a kid a smile and make them feel good for the rest of their day or for the rest of the year, that's what I love to do.”
Barbers from both Boise Barber College and Level Up Barber and Beauty will be attending Friday's event.
Lucas Perez, who has been a barber for two years, is excited to see everyone and thanks his wife, Annette Perez, who works for the CSD and was the driving factor in putting the event together.
"I think it's a great thing for us to go out there and show our face in the community. Let them know who we are, and as a school that we're here, we're ready," he said. "To help [the underprivileged youth] out with their needs and do it for a lower price than they would usually get it, like going into a regular barbershop."
Ward told those who could not make it to Friday’s event that they should contact Boise Barber College and head down to their shop for a free back-to-school haircut.
Boise Barber College provided several events they will also be attending.
- Iowa Elementary on Thursday, Aug. 9, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Taft Elementary on Tuesday, Aug. 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.