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Prince Issa, Chattanooga Tennessee lots by @locsbyjay

From a Hair Therapy Baby to Boarding School

One of the most special things about having Hair Therapy for so many years is that I have had the privilege of watching some of my clients’ children grow up right alongside me.

Issa was referred to A Better Chance (ABC) by a Hair Therapy mom who has known him since he was just 10 months old.

He was denied the opportunity in 7th grade, but he was accepted into the ABC cohort in 8th grade. From there, things moved quickly.

Issa completed ABC’s six-week summer Math and English study and testing program. He was then recommended to 10 schools across several states, including Michigan, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Some were community schools (highly regarded public schools) and others were boarding schools.

From October through January, we visited schools, participated in interviews and shadow days, and tried to figure out where Issa would fit best.

Then came the offers.

Three community schools:

Lower Merion
Staples
Strath Haven

Two boarding schools:

Church Farm — $46,000 scholarship
McCallie — $55,000 scholarship

On Decision Day, Issa chose McCallie School.

His reasons were very Issa: smaller classes and the opportunity to take classes in flight engineering systems.

The family contribution is about $1,800 a month for 10 months each year — a major commitment, but one we decided was worth making for the opportunity in front of him.

And just like that, my little boy who has been part of the Hair Therapy story since he was 10 months old became a boarding school student.

And now for the part that makes this a Hair Therapy story again…For the first time in his life, Issa went to a stylist who was not me. That was a moment for both of us!

After years of washing, conditioning, trimming, styling, and taking care of his hair myself, I had to finally let somebody else do it. I think that may have been harder for me than sending him to boarding school.

From a 10-month-old sitting around the salon to a young man getting ready to start high school in Tennessee… watching our children grow up is truly something special.

I am incredibly proud of him and excited to see where this next chapter takes him.

Back to school. Back to hair. And apparently, back to learning how to let my baby grow up. A part of that was indulging in self-care September.