A Barbershop and a Salon, Right Inside BreckMetro
This week, I had the privilege of standing alongside the students and staff of Breckinridge Metropolitan High School as we cut the ribbon on something we'd been building for months: an in-school barbershop and salon.
It started with a conversation. I met C.J. Carter, who leads the Brighter Futures Foundation, and we got to talking about what it actually takes for a student to walk into class feeling ready — not just academically, but as a whole person. Carter's foundation has already brought barbershops into five other schools, but BreckMetro is the first to also open a salon for the young women there, led by stylist Shawnta Chappell. Together, we figured out how to bring that same vision to District 3.
BreckMetro is an alternative school — students are referred there after academic or behavioral challenges — but anyone who spends time in that building knows it's one of the most supportive places in our community. Sixteen-year-old Malik Solis put it simply: the school "really care[s] about us" and "they do a lot of stuff for us." That's exactly the environment his classmates deserve, and it's exactly what today added to.
Right now, the shop is focused on haircuts and styling. The hope is to grow it into a certificate program down the line — giving students a real skill and a real path forward, not just a fresh cut.
I'm proud of our students and staff for embracing this. Today was the ribbon cutting, and from here, the options are endless.
Read more from WLKY: Breckinridge Metro High opens barbershop and salon to support students
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