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Armstrong Teacher Donates Locks for Reading Incentive
LOCKS OF LOVE DONATION: Aaron Wright, a first-grade student at Armstrong Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District, won the chance to cut the hair of kindergarten teacher Kathie Eckelkamp as an award for a reading incentive. Eckelkamp donated her hair to Locks of Love.
As a reading incentive for the month of November, students at Armstrong Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District earned an opportunity to cut the hair of kindergarten teacher Kathie Eckelkamp for a good cause.
For the third time in her career, Eckelkamp donated her hair to Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that makes hairpieces for children suffering from long-term medical hair loss.
Students in first through fifth grade who earned 100 percent on a reading assessment, and kindergartners who read each night for a required amount of time were entered into a drawing to cut Eckelkamp’s hair before the entire school at a morning meeting.
Aaron Wright, a first-grader, won the drawing.
With her hair in a ponytail, Wright snipped off 12 inches. The next day, she went to the salon to have two more inches cut to style her hair.
She explained her reasons for getting involved.
“I decided to donate my hair for two reasons. First, I wanted to show our students another real-world application to our I-Five expectation of being kind. Second, I wanted students to see that helping others doesn’t have to cost a lot of money,” said Eckelkamp.
“Helping a not-for-profit organization like Locks of Love is something selfless that anyone can do at any age. This is one example of being kind to the community. Helping a child who has hair loss due to medical reasons is something I have done before.”
The first time Eckelkamp donated her hair, she was teaching fourth grade at a private school. “We sold chances as a fundraiser to help St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The second time, I just went on my own to my regular stylist and she cut it off,” she explained.
“I feel very fortunate that I am able to do this act of kindness and motivate others to start thinking about how they can help others beyond their family, beyond their school and into the larger community in which we live,” Eckelkamp said.
“I would definitely consider doing it again. Fortunately, my hair grows fast. The last time I donated was 2008.”
