Sitting on a stool overlooking the quad, seventh-grader Viridiana Alvarado awaits the next moment with bated breath.  A single snip of the shears later and Viridiana’s hair is eight inches shorter.  This was not a prank or some sort of accident; she was donating her hair to charity.  

Ms. Tammy Manske, coordinator for the Advancement Via Individual Determination program (AVID), held a community project in which students donated hair to the Pantene Lengths charity to make wigs.  The MacArthur students, parents, and staff volunteered to get their donated.  This is the very first time that a hair drive is being held publicly at MacArthur, but Manske is looking to make the drive an annual school event.

The hair that is getting donated is going to American Cancer Society, which makes wigs for people undergoing cancer treatment.  One side effect of radiation treatment can be a loss of hair, so the wigs help people

Over fourteen students got their hair cut off at school by professional hair stylists, with their parents permission, and six students gave Ms. Manske their hair that was in ponytails.  Manske herself has donated her hair over eight times.  She said, “One time when one student was getting their hair donated she was in tears because she was so happy that is was going to a good cause.”

Viridiana said, “I did have second thoughts on getting my hair donated, but in the end it was all worth it!” Viridiana donated eight inches of hair.  She also said, “It made me feel good inside knowing that my hair was going to a good cause.”

Seventh-grader Lisette Infante said, “I did not have any second thoughts because I knew this would make other people happy.”  Lisette donated eleven inches of hair.   “It made me feel good thinking that I am helping other people,” she said.