NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A fresh haircut can mean much more than a new, clean look for anyone who gets one. Giving a haircut can also be more than a job for barbers.
At North Little Rock Middle School, a security officer leads a program to give students free haircuts and a mentor.
Tucked in an office inside the middle school, school safety officer Herman Johnson shows off his barber skills.
"I've been cutting hair since I was in 11th grade," Johnson said.
More than his skills with a trimmer, his mentorship takes center stage.
"The students are getting their hair cut, but I also have the ear while I'm cutting their hair,” Johnson said. “I try to use that as a time to pour into them to understand that no matter where they are in life, their dreams can come true."
Johnson's favorite token of knowledge is what he calls the "Five P's" — proper preparation prevents poor performance.
"If you start preparing now, later in life, you'll see it all come back to you," Johnson said.
North Little Rock eighth grader Quenton Jefferson held on to that message from Johnson.
"I'll take away that to pursue my dreams to become a realtor, I need to get good grades so I can go to a good college," Jefferson said.
And their conversation let Jefferson walk away with more than just a fresh look.
"A fresh haircut makes me feel more confident in what I'm doing," Jefferson said.
Johnson is more than just the hands behind the shears too, as he spearheads the free haircut program.
“We have a permission slip that has to go home,” Johnson said. “Once we get the consent from the parent, then we let the kid know that they're going to have an opportunity to get their haircut, and it gives me an opportunity to give them advice.”
Johnson has worked with the North Little Rock School District for 26 years, and he said giving is easier than receiving.
Additionally, he feels as if he's received something worth more once the giving is done.
"It feels good to be able to come back to my alma mater and pour into these children like others poured into me when I was here," Johnson said.
Johnson and the school’s administrators hope to grow the program to have a designated space for haircuts.