CITY FOCUS:Children of character

At an awards ceremony, most people expect to get something. But at the Harbour View Elementary School’s Pelican Pride assembly, 12 girls gave something away: a foot or more of hair each.

As classmates watched, the first- to fifth-graders gave a part of themselves to the charity Locks of Love, which gives free or low-cost hairpieces to children with long-term or permanent hair loss from disease or trauma. The whole event Friday was part of a monthly assembly recognizing achievement in academics or the community, said principal Roni Ellis.

“Every morning we would have an announcement that you could be a kid of character by doing this,” she said.

Students asked for the school to hold the event officially this year for the first time after a few did it informally last year, she added.

The wigs made from donated hair are high quality, said third-grader Katie Cason, who has given hair before as part of her Brownie Troop.

“It takes six to 12 girls to make two people’s wigs,” she said. “They can vacuum seal it on so you can do cartwheels.”

Katie and third-grader Caitlyn O’Connell have both given hair before as part of the same Brownie Troop. It’s become a tradition for the two, Caitlyn said.

“My hair just goes down like this and then up like this,” Caitlyn said, gesturing to show the cycle of long growth and summer shearing. “Over and over.”

Asked whether they liked their locks better long or short, they both answered, “Short!”

The girls aren’t the only ones who enjoy their new looks; all the students said their classmates had taken a definite interest.

“My friends are all touching my hair,” said fourth-grader Emma Poisson. “They all want to know how it feels.”