October 6, 2020 (Chicago, IL) – On September 22nd, Wahl Clipper Corporation’s Professional division and Chicago social service organization UCAN awarded full scholarships to four students to attend Larry’s Barber College as part of the Wahl Professional Fade it ForwardTM program. The innovative program provides mentorship and support to at-risk youth with the goal of helping them achieve their dreams of becoming professional barbers and entrepreneurs.
The four students selected to receive scholarships from the Sterling, IL-based clipper manufacturer are Amari Brown, Brandon Williams, Dakota Newton-Powell, and Colby Taylor.
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The students arrived at UCAN not knowing that Wahl Education and Artistic Team (W.E.A.T.) member, Garland “G-Whiz” Fox, and Wahl Professional’s National Director of Education, Lisa Finucane, would be there to surprise and welcome them to the Wahl family. Fox and Finucane gave each student a gift bag of Wahl Professional tools and other Wahl Professional items in addition to the scholarships.
Before beginning classes at Larry’s Barber College, Brown, Williams, Newton-Powell, and Taylor completed a four-week mentorship program with professional barbers in the Chicago area. The goal of the mentorship program was to support and teach each student the importance of hard work and the dedication needed to become a barber.
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“It is incredible to know that we are already onto our second class of Fade It Forward™ students here in Chicago. This program was designed to help youth who just need the opportunity to get out of their current situations and further change the trajectory of their lives, like becoming a barber did for me,” says Fox.
The Fade It Forward program has started its second year in Chicago, IL and will soon begin its first year in St. Louis, MO, with plans underway to begin in Cleveland, OH in 2021. To learn more about the Fade It Forward program go to https://wahlpro.com/education/fadeitforward/.
Photo Caption (Top): The students from left to right are Brandon Williams, Colby Taylor, Dakota Newton-Powell, and Amari Brown. Wahl Education and Artistic Team member Garland “G-Whiz” Fox also posed with the newest students of the Fade It Forward™ program.
Photo Caption (Middle): Wahl Professional’s National Director of Education, Lisa Finucane, and Wahl Education and Artistic Team member, Garland “G-Whiz” Fox surprised new student, Colby Taylor, as he arrived with James Hollins, WIOA Career Specialist at UCAN.
Photo Caption (Bottom): From left to right Brandon Williams, Garland “G-Whiz” Fox, Amari Brown, Lisa Finucane, Colby Taylor, and Dakota Newton-Powell posed together to celebrate the newest class of Fade It Forward™ program recipients.
To view more photos from the ceremony and student headshots, click here.
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. At Wahl, we are proud of our heritage of excellence as well as our remarkable list of groundbreaking innovations for the present and future for the global market. 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 Larry’s Barber CollegeLarry’s Barber College currently offers a 1,500-hour program that is designed to help prepare students for their licensing exam as they learn the curriculum surrounding the history of barbering, professional image, anatomy and chemistry, as well as, the basic skills of a developing barber. The college’s goal is to further develop members of society and have them graduate to being a productive member of the barbering industry and prove to be assets in the workforce. Since 2004, Larry’s Barber College has been determined to further educate and provide a better alternative to its students than the streets. The college has plans to continue to expand through the Chicago-area to further help as many future barbers achieve their dreams of becoming an entrepreneur and a better lifestyle for themselves.
