STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A Dongan Hills barbershop recently closed its doors to the public during the busy holiday season to treat P.S. 31 students to free holiday haircuts and gifts.
James Scianna, owner of Untouchable Cutz, and P.S. 31 special education teacher Anthony Rodriguez brought 30 students in by bus on Dec. 19 to celebrate the holidays. The students are in grades 1 through 5.
Scianna and Rodriguez both started the event four years ago, hoping to give back to the community. Since then, they have done it twice a year annually.
Leftover toys were donated to the pediatric units at Richmond University Medical Center and Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze. Several members of the barbershop staff delivered them personally, Scianna said.
“We wanted to give back to our students,” Rodriguez said. “The pure joy of seeing the kids smile is enough for us. The kids look forward to it each year and many have their barber of choice when we hold the event.”
The students received free haircuts, breakfast, three toys each, and a photo with Santa, Scianna said. For the first time, two girls participated this year and got their hair styled and braided.
Students from P.S. 31 were treated to holiday haircuts at Untouchable Cutz in Dongan Hills on Dec. 19. (Courtesy of Nedim Ismaili)
In past years, the barbers visited the school, Scianna said, but this year they decided to changes things up.
“This year we thought it’d be cool for them to have the barbershop experience,” he said. “They loved it.”
The barbers who donated their time along with Sciana were: Silvia De La Flor, Rachel Almonte, Jitu Gebeyehu, Nick Showty, Luis Rolon, Lee Megerman, Jose Claudio and Jimmy Miranda. Santa Claus got some help from Victor Pellet and Cara Onofrietti.
“The barbers all look forward to it just as much as the students do,” Rodriguez said. “When Jimmy (Scianna) says he wants to help, he means it, and the collaboration is brought to life through his willingness to help the P.S. 31 community.”
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