SWAGG ( Scholars With Admiration for Good Grooming)

My Students

If you give a man a fish, you feed him for the day. If you teach a man how to fish, you feed him for life! Our scholars get good grades, however they come from homes that are financially challenged. Teaching them a trade to compliment their education will making them self sufficient in the future!

My students are 5th through 8th graders developing the academic and critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in competitive high school programs, college and the career of their choice.

Our graduates are academically accomplished, and intellectually curious engaged young people who tackle challenges diligently and creatively. While public charter schools in surrounding urban areas such as New York City are seen as necessary, urban areas with at-risk student populations in nearby Mount Vernon, New York are overlooked. The children of Mount Vernon deserve another public school option that can deliver on our “No Excuses” promise. At Amani, 67% of our students qualify for and rely on free and reduced lunch. With a longer school day than surrounding public schools, we strive to provide our students receive free Academic Intervention Services and free enrichment programs because they are eager to learn and participate in the programs that will help them to achieve their goals.

My Project

Our after school program is called SWAGG (Scholars With Admiration for Good Grooming). SWAGG is an intro to barbering course. We are in need of your assistance with purchasing: 3 pairs of complete clipper sets which include 3 Oster 76 clippers (with detachable blades for cutting), 3 Andis Masters (for blending) and 3 of Andis Styliners (for shaping up). The requested tools will help our scholars practice grooming fellow students (under the instruction of a Master Barber). We are unable to practice any haircutting without the requested tools. Lastly, our scholars will also learn proper hygiene, appearance enhancement, vital people skills, and the basics of becoming an entrepreneur during an impressionable age. Learning a trade at this stage will help them develop as young adults and support them to earn financial assistance on their way to college and beyond! Thank you so much for reading!

The project will make a tremendous difference in the lives of our scholars.

It will help balance the economic disparities that are creating barriers to their learning (similar to our uniforms). While they are impressionable, it is vital to teach them that their personal learning will have a positive effect on their home environment. By learning a trade, they can take some of the financial burden off of parents by awarding their fellow scholars with a haircut in exchange for good grades. Thank you!