P
CMSD PAYING IT FORWARD
aying it forward – the good things that we learn should be passed along to the next person, to the next
generation. At Canon-McMillan School District, teachers and students alike, sometimes without really
knowing it, do just that. Three recent incidents demonstrated how teachers and students learn from each
other and give to others who they will never meet. Look at these stories about Locks of Love, blankets for an
orphanage, and Babe Ruth memorabilia donated to Senator John Heinz History Center.
Locks of Love at South Central Elementary
anon-Mac
C ANO N- MAC SC HO OL D IS TR IC T News
B
eautiful hair can change the look
of a girl – or change her outlook.
At South Central Elementary School,
music teacher Deanna Alchier proposed
an event that brought young girls the
chance to help other children by donating their own hair.
Locks of Love is a public, non-profit
organization that provides hairpieces to
financially disadvantaged children in
the U.S. and Canada under age 21 who
suffer from long-term medical hair loss.
This helps the affected children regain
their self-esteem and self-confidence.
Mrs. Alchier had donated four times
before and joining her this time were
Wylandville Principal Nina Unitas, two
mothers and nine girls in grades 1-4
from South Central.
“I hoped that the children would
learn through this opportunity that making a difference in others’ lives doesn’t
have to cost money,” said Mrs. Alchier.
The event immediately followed
South Central’s annual holiday singalong led by Mrs. Alchier.
The girls and women chose who
would wield the scissors on their hair.
Hairstylists from Elliven Spa and Baretta’s Hair Designers then took over and
gave their shorter hair a new “do.”
Bethany Romeo and her 7-year-old
daughter Gilliana, a second-grader at
South Central, decided to give Locks
of Love a try together. Gilliana’s blond
hair fell down past her waist at the start
of the day. She chose her teacher, Mrs.
Kriste Sisul, for the job. Gilliana cut
her mother’s hair. Gilliana donated 11
inches of hair and Mrs. Romeo donated
12 inches of her light brown hair. Gilliana has no sisters, but her four brothers
barely recognized her with short hair.
Gilliana said it best, “My hair will
grow back very quickly, but a sick
child’s will not. It is temporary for us,
but not for someone else.”
Fourth-grader Delaney Gallagher
had no trouble deciding to join in, but
her situation was a bit different.
34 Canon-Mac
In January 2013, Delaney lost
her mother. Although her father, Ed
Gallagher, admitted that he did his
best at doing her hair in the morning,
Delaney didn’t feel quite that way.
“She came to me one day and
said she had no one around to do her
hair,” said her then-third-grade teacher Stacy Duvall. “I said I would be
willing to do her hair, and her father
agreed that would be a good idea.
“That night my husband and I went
out and bought lots of hair accessories
and kept them in a bin in my classroom
so Delaney could pick out what she
wanted to wear each day. I bought feathers when they were in fashion and even
added special things for St. Patrick’s
Day,” said the teacher. She occasionally let Mrs. Duvall try something new
with her hair. One day Delaney sported
a ponytail and the next maybe a French
braid. Sometimes she just wanted to
talk.
When Delaney learned of the Locks
of Love event she told her father that she
wanted to help the children who couldn’t
grow hair. When she told Mrs. Duvall
that she was planning to be one of the
girls on stage that day being part of
Locks of Love, the teacher cried. Then
Delaney said she wanted Mrs. Duvall
to be the one to cut her hair. On the day
of the event, Mrs. Duvall made the required cuts and Delaney turned around
and said “thank you” to her teacher, who
again found tears running down her own
cheeks.
Photo by Primetime Shots
“I was excited and nervous,” said
Delaney. “I did it because other people
can’t grow hair, but when I get it cut,
I can grow it again.” She donated 10
inches of her flowing brown hair. “This
makes me feel good and it makes my
Dad proud of me.
“This is the shortest my hair has ever
been and I can do it myself now. I really
like it short,” said Delaney.
“Mrs. Duvall has developed a real
friendship with Delaney. She is a very
special woman and teacher,” said Mr.
Gallagher.
Delaney and the others in her thirdgrade class were invited to Mrs. Duvall’s
wedding last summer. Mr. and Mrs.
Duvall attend some of Delaney’s CanonMcMillan basketball games, and even
went to lunch with Delaney and her dad.
The bond that began with the simple
act of brushing hair, continued with
a long-term friendship and an act of
kindness for a child who will some day
feel more confident wearing a hairpiece
made from Delaney’s hair.
Music teacher Deanna Alchier donated 14 inches of hair.