Butcher-Greene Elementary School has found a way to instill self-worth and life lessons into their students through hair care.
According to KSHB News, some students head to Kim Wilson’s room in the morning to get their hair done.
“I could tell that some kids were in need of a little extra TLC that they might not have been getting at home for whatever reason,” Wilson, a behavior intervention specialist for the Grandview C-4 School District, said.
Wilson realized some of the students’ hair played a factor in how they carried themselves, so she stepped up to offer hair care at the permission of the students’ parents.
“It was always excitement, like, ‘You noticed? You see me? You’re going to make me feel better about myself?'” Wilson added.
“I had one parent email me back and say, ‘I appreciate you being a part of my village, because I don’t have one,'” Wilson said. “It’s really just her and her kids, and that’s it. So, when she’s working a job or two jobs and she can’t do what she needs to do, she appreciates someone seeing her kids and giving them TLC besides just the education piece.”
Wilson’s efforts motivated other girls to come forward and ask for her services.
“Kids that might not have talked to each other before are now starting to talk to each other,” Wilson said. “They are racing up the steps to my room to get their hair done. I had two little girls racing this morning to say, ‘I’m first. No, I’m first!'”
“Our girls and our boys are coming in so much stronger,” school counselor Laura McCoy said. “They just walk around the school with more pride and more confidence. Then, when they go to math, they can focus on math.“
Wilson shared before and after pictures of her work on Tik-Tok and received 100,000 views and 20,000 comments.
“I had private messages of people asking me, ‘Can you show me how to do my foster care child’s hair? I don’t know what to do. What products do you use? Can you help me with my own hair? No one ever showed me and I’m 25 years old,'” Wilson stated.
Kuddos to her!!!
