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Left to Right: Mentor Terrance Henigan, His & Hers Barber School Owner, José Gardea, Sebastian Moore, Andre Whittington, His & Hers Barber School Instructor, Irene Youngblood, and Mentor Brenda Potts support the two graduates as they receive their certificates.
 

On December 3rd, Wahl Clipper Corporation, Chicago social service organization UCAN, and His & Hers Barber School, celebrated the graduation of the first students of the company’s Fade It Forward program. These students were selected to receive job readiness training, a mentorship program with a professional barber and full tuition to attend barber school. After 13 months of classes and hands-on education, Sebastian Moore and Andre Whittington have graduated and will soon become licensed barbers.

After the graduation ceremony, Moore and Whittington, who were flanked by representatives from Wahl Professional, their mentors, UCAN representatives, friends and family, showcased the skills and cuts that they learned from school’s staff and their mentors. The pair were even interviewed by Chicago TV stations ABC-7 and WGN and were featured on the evening’s newscasts.

With Moore and Whittington graduated, the clipper manufacturer welcomed two new scholarship recipients, Najee Scott and Elijah Milton, into the program. These students, who are finishing up their program with their mentors, will begin going to His & Hers Barber School starting in mid-December.

“Wahl created Fade it Forward to help young people who haven’t had a lot of opportunities in their lives, to get into barber school, learn to cut hair, alter their future, and in turn change their lives,” says Aaron Flick, Senior Marketing Associate for Wahl Professional.

Wahl Professional is encouraged by the success of Fade It Forward in Chicago and plans to expand the program to St. Louis, Missouri and Cleveland, Ohio in 2020 as well as launch a second Fade It Forward location on Chicago’s south side. To learn more about the Fade It Forward program go to https://wahlpro.com/education/fadeitforward/.

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Andre Whittington performs a haircut as his mentor, Brenda Potts, and Wahl Artistic and Education Team member, Garland (G-Whiz) Fox, watch over.

About Wahl Professional

Since 1919, with the invention of the first practical electric hair clipper, Wahl Clipper Corporation has been the leader in the professional and home grooming category. Today, with over 2,500 employees worldwide, Wahl is proud to carry forward the tradition of innovation and superior customer service that was created by Leo J. Wahl. Headquartered in Sterling, Illinois, Wahl distributes to 176 countries and has eight global manufacturing facilities as well as 25 sales offices. Visit www.wahlpro.com for more details.


About UCAN

UCAN is one of Chicago’s oldest, yet most innovative, social services organization that helps builds strong youth and families through compassionate healing, education and empowerment. For more than 149 years, UCAN has been a sanctuary for youth who have suffered trauma and neglect through a clinical approach to healing that is united, culturally relevant and consistent. Our vision is youth who have suffered trauma can become our future leaders. UCAN serves over 13,000 youth and families annually through an integrated continuum of services. UCAN meets the changing needs of Chicagoland’s at-risk youth by transitioning them to programs as their needs change. As a culturally proficient organization, UCAN integrates diversity and inclusion into our operations to engage staff, partners, peers and supporters. Our progressive way of doing business embraces cultural differences, which helps UCAN act as a change agent and challenge the status quo.


About His & Hers Barber School

His & Hers Barber School currently offers a 1,500-hour program that prepares students for their licensing examination and entry-level careers in the barbering industry. Their goal is to graduate productive members of the barbering industry, who are invaluable assets to employees in the workforce. The barbering program at His & Hers Barber School offers hands-on interactive classes and teaches the “lost art of shaving” through demonstrations, live models, audio visual aids and basic classroom instruction: combining practical applications with barbering theory. His &Hers Barber School employs highly skilled and experienced instructors who combine the latest teaching techniques with a wealth of knowledge and state-of-the-art technology.
 

Originally posted on Modern Salon