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Locks of love
By Michele Sample
Evan Benson, a sixth-grader at Franktown Elementary School, has been mistaken for a girl lately.
“We go to a restaurant and the server always thinks he is a girl,” said Jill Kratochvil, Evan’s mom. “He’ll respond, ‘I’m a boy.’ ”
Since the third grade, Evan has been growing out his hair, with a trim now and then. During the summer before sixth grade, a friend of his, Ryan, told him he should donate his hair to Locks of Love. The nonprofit organization provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Their mission is to return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails.
Evan said he kept getting teased and harassed at school because of his long hair, so he decided to research the organization, and give a talk to his and other classrooms at school.
“After he did that, they stopped picking on him, and no one said a word,” Kratochvil said.
Evan’s hair is wavy, blonde, and goes down to his back. According to his mom, “Hair that any woman would dream of.”
Evan is an avid soccer player, and said he pulls it back for practice, and it protects his neck from getting sunburned. Also, during the colder days, his hair kept him warm.
Considering the upcoming haircut, Evan said that after the salon visit, he plans to grow it out again.
“It’s me,” Evan said about his new style. “I don’t like it short anymore.”
Kratochvil said she is very proud of her son, and parents have come up to her and said how great his perseverance was, despite all the teasing.
Evan’s younger brother Christopher, 6, told him he liked his brother’s idea about donating hair to Locks of Love, and may do it himself. As far as Evan’s dad Steve, joining in on hair growth? Probably won’t be a “like father like son” scenario.
“He’s bald,” Evan said laughing.
Kratochvil said she can’t wait to see the faces of the children on Monday when Evan returns to school with a crew cut.
“It’s a great way for Evan to go out of sixth grade. In style.”
“We go to a restaurant and the server always thinks he is a girl,” said Jill Kratochvil, Evan’s mom. “He’ll respond, ‘I’m a boy.’ ”
Since the third grade, Evan has been growing out his hair, with a trim now and then. During the summer before sixth grade, a friend of his, Ryan, told him he should donate his hair to Locks of Love. The nonprofit organization provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Their mission is to return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails.
Evan said he kept getting teased and harassed at school because of his long hair, so he decided to research the organization, and give a talk to his and other classrooms at school.
“After he did that, they stopped picking on him, and no one said a word,” Kratochvil said.
Evan’s hair is wavy, blonde, and goes down to his back. According to his mom, “Hair that any woman would dream of.”
Evan is an avid soccer player, and said he pulls it back for practice, and it protects his neck from getting sunburned. Also, during the colder days, his hair kept him warm.
Considering the upcoming haircut, Evan said that after the salon visit, he plans to grow it out again.
“It’s me,” Evan said about his new style. “I don’t like it short anymore.”
Kratochvil said she is very proud of her son, and parents have come up to her and said how great his perseverance was, despite all the teasing.
Evan’s younger brother Christopher, 6, told him he liked his brother’s idea about donating hair to Locks of Love, and may do it himself. As far as Evan’s dad Steve, joining in on hair growth? Probably won’t be a “like father like son” scenario.
“He’s bald,” Evan said laughing.
Kratochvil said she can’t wait to see the faces of the children on Monday when Evan returns to school with a crew cut.
“It’s a great way for Evan to go out of sixth grade. In style.”
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