Iowa Barber Gives Free Hair Cuts To Children Who Read To Him

Seeing individuals give back to the community and help our youth to excel is something that just warms the heart and makes you smile. That was my reaction to hearing about Courtney Holmes who is a barber in Dubuque, Iowa.

At the second annual Back to School Bash in Comiskey Park, Holmes gave free haircuts to children who read books to him in return.

The Back to School Bash took place with a little over two weeks before classes start on September 1st in Dubuque. The event was the result of collaboration between multiple community partners as well as nonprofit organizations, who all hope to see successful youth within the community.

Outreach program, St. Mark Youth Enrichment, gave away books during the event, and many of these books were read to Holmes.

Holmes told the Telegraph Herald, “I just want to support kids reading.”

He did not turn kids away either. He helped young children sound out words they struggled with or did not know.

During the event, more than 100 people learned about multiple free resources and before- and after-school opportunities that help families prepare for the upcoming school year.

What a creative way to motivate these children and give back to the community. Kids had the chance to receive a fresh haircut to look nice and presentable for school and got to strengthen their reading skills, thus assisting in preparation for the start of the school year.

I believe this also helps with the self esteem and confidence of these children. Having a nice appearance is the start to kids feeling good about themselves.

In addition, the more practice they get with reading, the stronger and smarter they become. With being motivated by receiving a nice hair cut in return, Holmes is pushing these kids to excel. Imagine if communities everywhere adopted similar methods!

What are you currently doing to give back and help our youth?