Lexington, Ky. (WKYT) – The Winburn Middle School building now houses a fully functional barber shop, providing students with weekly haircuts and advice during school hours.
The barbershop is part of the Sharp Futures Foundation programme, designed to boost confidence and provide guidance to young people through one-on-one interactions with barbers.
“This is a place where these young people can come and feel seen, they can feel valued and also feel supported,” said CJ Carter, founder of the Sharp Futures Foundation.
Master Barber Vincent Davis will cut students’ hair once a week, creating a therapeutic space for open conversation without judgment.
“A lot of the men themselves see the barbershop as a therapeutic place or a place of peace, so I hope kids will see it that way too,” Davis said.
The objective of the program is to boost academic performance
Davis said proper haircuts help students perform better in class by increasing their energy and confidence.
“Look good, feel good, play good,” Davis said. “It gives you more energy. It makes you feel better about yourself. A nice haircut, clean clothes and then you can have a good day.”
The program also introduces students to career opportunities such as entrepreneurship that they may not have previously considered.
Carter said investing in young men through quality interactions and guidance with each haircut can make a difference in future generations.
“There’s nothing more satisfying than when they’re done getting a haircut and you walk by them in the mirror and you see them glowing,” Carter said.
expansion in kentucky schools
Winburn Middle is the second school in Lexington and the fourth in Kentucky to have a barber shop in the school. Tates Creek Middle School opened last year.
Another Sharp Futures barbershop is set to open in two weeks at the Martin Luther King Jr. Academy.
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