96 Kids Get Free Back-to-School Haircuts in Opelousas

Ninety-six children in Opelousas, Louisiana walked into their first day of school this year with fresh haircuts, new braids, and something even more valuable: confidence.

Volunteers gathered at Indian Hills Country Club on Sunday to host the fourth annual Back-to-School Free Hair Event. Girls received braids and styles while boys got haircuts, all completely free to families facing the rising costs of back-to-school season.

Organizer Ashley Hayes says the event goes deeper than just haircuts. "Creating smiles one style at a time," Hayes explained. "It just helps them feel good when they go back to school so they can feel good about themselves and their appearance."

The savings matter to families like Kristen Roberts, who brought her daughter Brooklyn to get her hair braided. Roberts says the style her daughter received would normally cost around $200, and she has two children to prepare for school. "The price of things these days is already at an all-time high," Roberts said. "So this is just a nice moment just to sit back, enjoy, talk to nice people, meet new people and let the kids just be kids right before school starts."

For retired hairstylist Unique Elliott, volunteering at the event feels deeply personal. She was bullied as a child because her family couldn't always afford to maintain her hair. "I used to be bullied when I was younger due to the fact that my mom was on a fixed income," Elliott shared. "She couldn't, you know, keep my hair up."

Now Elliott comes out of retirement once a year just for this event. "This is the only time I do hair, the beginning of the school year for the kids, to make sure that they feel confident," she said.

The Ripple Effect

The event has grown steadily since it launched four years ago, with volunteers returning annually to donate their time and skills. Beyond hair services, families also received back-to-school supplies, food, and participated in bingo games together.

St. Landry Parish Government sponsored the use of the country club venue. CiCi Savoy with the parish government says the community support reflects what matters most: "It was something that was good for the community, good for the kids, and a lot of these parents can't really afford to get their kids' hair done for the school year."

For these 96 children heading back to class with fresh styles, they're not just looking ready for the first day of school, they're feeling ready too.