Thanks to a generous gift from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), The New LIFE School (TNLS) is enhancing its Barbering Career Program.
New LIFE is a therapeutic school serving special needs students age 8-21 (grades 3-12). Upon arrival at TNLS, the students have been removed from at least three, sometimes as many as ten, public and specialized schools, so it is of paramount importance that our team helps to reawaken academic interests and prepare them for life after high school.
Thanks to ELCA, 24 New LIFE students will benefit from meaningful barbering work experience that prepares them for direct employment post-graduation. This gift has provided the equipment and resources to complete the Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) Program in Barbering at TNLS with an initial barbering apprentice certification.
The first of three years of funding has been spent on upgrades to outdated and damaged equipment. We have installed new hair washing stations, a new barbering station to increase the learning space, and purchased additional professional supplies to allow for larger class groups. We are deeply grateful for the new energy inspired by the ELCA grant.
The addition of a barbering station will provide increased learning space for the part-time hairdresser and barber.