Students in Remington College’s Mobile cosmetology program are trading scissors for community service this month, offering free back-to-school haircuts to children throughout the area as part of the campus’s annual Cuts for Kids event.
The program kicked off with roughly 17 children getting fresh cuts ahead of the new school year, the start of a month-long effort that runs on weekdays through the end of August. Families can bring children age 17 and under to the campus for a complimentary trim, giving cosmetology students real-world practice while easing a back-to-school expense for local parents.
For some parents, the free service is more than a convenience. One Mobile mother who brought her three sons in for haircuts said the savings would go toward other school expenses, a sentiment organizers say is common among the families who take part each year.
The event has grown into more than a haircut giveaway. Throughout August, the college is also collecting school supplies — pens, pencils, notebooks and similar items — that will be distributed to classrooms in the Mobile area. Anyone who donates supplies can receive a free haircut, manicure or pedicure in return, an incentive that organizers say helps stock local schools while drawing more visitors to the event.
One Mobile family brought in reams of paper, boxes of pens and composition notebooks in exchange for pedicures, calling the arrangement a win for everyone involved — the children getting haircuts, the schools receiving supplies and the cosmetology students building their skills under supervision.
Cuts for Kids has become an annual tradition for the campus, now in its seventh year, and organizers say it reflects the program’s broader effort to connect classroom training with community needs. Appointments are encouraged but not required, and walk-ins are welcome throughout the month.
The event runs through the end of August, with services offered late morning through early afternoon on weekdays. Families interested in scheduling a visit or donating supplies can contact the college’s cosmetology school directly for details on hours and drop-off locations.