The first Tuesday of the month at the Spark Salon in Dubuque, Iowa is set aside for free hair cuts. The only catch is that the customer must read a book to the barber, which in most cases is Courtney Holmes. Holmes said, “This is one small way that we can start something – to reach out to parents and let them know the importance of reading and making sure kids get the knowledge they need so that they don’t have to struggle through school.”
Holmes understands the importance of reading. He has two children, Josiah and Jackson. Each night, either he or his wife read to the boys. Unfortunately, as he knows, many underprivileged kids don’t have this experience at home. As a whole, this has many regrettable consequences, including higher high school dropout rates.
Holmes says, “Kids are our future. But I’m worried about kids today. Many are not involved in something positive. If there is anything I can do to reach out them, to get them away from the negative – the bullying, the trying to be cool, the rap thing, trying to imitate that – I’ll do it.”
Dr. Hoedel’s Perspective: To be honest, I wouldn’t know the first thing about Dubuque, Iowa. I’ve been to a lot of small towns in Iowa, but never Dubuque. I can tell you that all small towns can benefit from small gestures like this to help the kids… to help disadvantaged families… to lead and inspire by their own example. It only takes a few inspirational leaders to change a small town. In the words of Mr. Holmes himself, “There’s a lot going on in the world, but it only takes one person to change something. I am just trying to make a difference.” Maybe we too can be inspired by Mr. Holmes to do something positive in our own communities.
Your turn (provide your responses below):
1) Do you believe that one person, such as Mr. Holmes, can make a difference in a community?
2) If so, what is it that you can do to help your community? Those less fortunate than you?
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Awesome way to give back to the community and showing leadership.
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1) Yes, I do! He is making a large difference, encouraging kids to read and spend more time doing it. Over the period of time of more and more haircuts, the children may develop a love for reading. If you like reading, it’s a lot easier to get through those big chunks of texts at school.
2) How I can make a difference… Speak out more and try to educate others. Donating to charities and the homeless is also a big way for me to help my community.
I believe people like Mr.Holmes can make a difference in a community, it’s a good way to show kids how an education is very good for you & reading can help you. That was a very bright idea of him to do that for kids.
Mr.Holmes i think what your doing is great for the community. So many kids these days are focused on trying to be popular by doing all the wrong things not knowing where that is going to get them in life. We need more people like you who are willing to reach out and help the less fortunate.
I think it’s pretty cool how he’s coming out to the kids and showing/telling them that education is good for you. He’s a good guy and has a good characteristic in him, he’s a good for kids now a days .
I think this is a great way to get kids to learn and to give back to our community.
I do believe one person can make a difference. Just simply by reading a book to Mr. Holmes can get you a free haircut. I believe more people should do this because know in days most kids have never actually read a book from the start to the end. Is sad how technology is taking over our education. I believe if more people just like Mr. Holmes start to do this just for little rewards our community can become a way better place. One person can change a place but everyone can change the world. Why not turn everything to something positive when young kids have a fresh mind to keep on learning or learn something positive each day. Just a simple step can make a difference each day just like Mr. Holmes did.
I think Mr. Holmes did an amazing thing for the kids . If everyone would do a small deed for their community it would make the community a more positive environment for everyone. It would make the one who help feel good and proud of themselves.
I think he’s doing an amazing thing by doing this because it’s helping underprivileged kids and it’s a great way to try and make a small difference in his community.
Yes,I believe that Mr .holmes can make a diffrent in the community because he has confidence in his self that he can stop the bullying or the drops out in high school and the negative that is going out in this world yes i think he can do it because he has encourage and he belive in his self that he can do what right in the community so their wont be no dropout in high school or negative i think that but i didnt know what to put srry
I think people like Country Holmes are the kind of people we need more of in the world. The people that are willing to help those less fortunate than themselves for no benefit to them.
I believe that the ones who have less do more than the ones who have more. I agree on his statement kids do need their education no matter the circumstance.
I think that people like Holmes are needed more in this world because he is giving to the less fortunate when he doesn’t have to .
I think that people like Holmes are needed more in this world because he is giving to the less fortunate when he doesn’t have to . This makes other people want to be helpful
Mr. Holmes can make a difference in a community because this is a great idea for your kids to become better readers. This is a great cause for the kids and parents because they parents don’t have to pay and the kids get educated.
1. I believe that Mr Holmes will make a difference because instead of making the child’s parent pay for the haircut, all the kid has to do is read a book. Its beneficial to both Mr. Holmes and the child because the child may not be reading at home so he asks them to read in the store which helps the child and it helps Mr Holmes because he feels he made an impact in those kids lives.
2. A way I can give back to my community is by speaking out and educating others.
I do agree that one person such as Holmes can make a difference in a community. Something that I could do is speck out more talk to the kids who always try to be cool and fit in with celebritys and rappers another thing i could do is donate to homeless and volunteer .
I agree with Mr.Holmes. I believe this is a great way to encourage young kids to read. This can make a huge difference to the world. This is helping the kids that don’t have the same privilege as others. Kids now a days need to learn that academics are more important than your reputation. If you’re cool, that won’t get you no where in life.
I agree with Mr.Holmes. I believe this is a great way to encourage young kids to read. This can make a huge difference to the world. This little thing helps other kids that don’t have the same privilege as others. Kids now a days need to learn that academics are more important than your reputation.
that is so awsome people should do more stuff like that
I really appreciate the this Man is doing this for these kid i wish they did this in my home town because when i was younger i really had a hard time reading and this help kids get better and inspires them to read so thanks for making a difference!
My opinion on the article is that I agree that it will e helpful for children and will help the future, so kids still read books. I think its really nice of Holmes to provide children with free haircuts each month if they read to the barber. Its a great way for him to reach out to the community and children also could change the world.
Free hair cuts is a great opportunity for the young to learn and help in our communities further life.
This would make us as young adults more to committed to our communities and our future lifes.
1) I believe that by doing such a little thing for your fellow children town can make a huge difference in the way they do in school, most teenagers now have a lower reading level. There isn’t many people like this that will do the right thing for FREE.
i think that one man as mr homes could change the nation but he would need everyone attention and other barbers should start doing this i think it would have a really big impact not just in our state but in our nation.
thing i could maybe help do to my community and to give back to the less fortune is probaly going buy them soemthing to drink or make them so kool aid or lemonad.
1. Yes I do agree that one person can make a difference in their community. Holmes has effected his community and kids in the community. The kids in that community will learn to read better. By reading they get a nice haircut too.
2. I can volunteer my time to help the high homeless problem in my city. There are many people on the street hungry and without a home. I can make a difference in the lives of homeless people if I volunteer at a homeless shelters. It might not solve the homeless population but if it makes a difference in one person then I did my job.
Yes, because the kids could learn from him. Kids could learn more how to read while getting a haircut. They could get the reading that they aren’t getting in school. I could go around giving out books to those that I know are that are less fortunate.
I think that it is good that he is doing this because he is helping out the kids read because if their parents aren’t helping them then he would be helping them.And I think that one person can make a difference as long as they do something positive to help people.
My opinion on this article is that his is making a difference in those childrens lives by encouraging them to read and also wanting to give back to his community to make a difference in its feature as a whole and help those childrens live better.
1) I deffinitely think that it only takes one person to make a difference in the community like Mr. Holmes did. I live in a small town in Iowa too and there are those few people that really stand out for me and that I can tell have made an impact on the community. I feel like people should be more like Mr. Holmes and do something with kids in the communtiy because they are the future and we will all one day depend on them.
2) In my community there are several ways that I can help the community. I feel like representing the town that I live incan really help the community since it is so small. Doing small little service works like cleaning up trash can help my community too.
Author
Great comments, Caitlin! Very thorough!
I think hes doing a good job…..& to help them out….
Yes i do believe that someone like him can make a difference only because if you show kids the good examples in life and not the bad they’ll understand that maybe doing whats good for others and you is the right thing to do. I know that someone like him can make a chain reaction only from experience. some had paid for my step dads groceries so then he paid for the persons behind him and it made a chain reaction. we could set up can food drives or put together hat and glove baskets for those who really need. We have a library box down at one of are parks where you can take old books for a book.
I think its a good way to help out children because it important that you start them young and you put them on a good path for life.
I agree that you should always start off kids on a good start because if you start them out good they will be on a good start for life.
i think its awsome
I think this is a good way to get kids to learn
i think that it is a great thing to do and more parents need to start reading to there kids and make sure they read every knight to let them know that reading is important
1) yes a person like Mr.Holmes can make a difference. He is making kids want to read more in life. If i heard about that i would go every Tuesday and read to him. He is making a huge differences in kids life and more people should be doing this.
2) If I was to help my community I would make a huge dinner and invite people even homeless to come and eat. I believe this would help out because it’ll make more people want to do that and it would go into a rotation and thatll help our community a little bit better.
i think that it is a great thing to do and more parents should start reading to there kids and make sure they read every knight to let them know that reading is important. and i think Holmes has a great idea and he is inspiring all parents to read to there kids and let them know that reading is really important. i think every parent needs to read to there children so they learn and be educated. parents should make there kids read signs and candy boxes to make them improve there reading and to be smart.
Yes, I do think one person can change a community.
i think its awsome that the barber is helping the kids read
I do believe that one person can make a huge difference because small things over time can make a bigger difference. It only takes one person to gove something to someone else or compliment their day and a single dollar to a less fortunate person can make a huge difference. Something that i can do to make a difference in my community is every time I see a homeless person I can give them a dollar or some food. Or once a month or so I can make cheap food and give it to the homeless.