Students help Lyndon School nurse donate hair to "Locks of Love"

BOSTON – “Shear madness” reigned today at the Patrick Lyndon K-8 Pilot School in West Roxbury when School Nurse Cathryn Stein got a very special haircut in front of the entire student body. Chopping off Nurse Stein’s long locks at a school-wide assembly were three winners of the “Hair Today…Gone Tomorrow” raffle contest to benefit needy families.

Nurse Stein, whose hair used to hang nearly to her waist, sold raffle chances for $1 each to students at the Lyndon School, raising an extra $247 for the school’s holiday gift drive last month. Today, she randomly selected three winners to cut off her hair in sections, which will be donated to "Locks of Love," an organization that makes hair pieces for children suffering from long-term medical hair loss.

While a representative from the Parent Council used a ruler to measure exactly 12 inches of her hair, Ms. Stein quipped, "Have I mentioned that it's 'Measurement Month' here at the Lyndon?  I love my job!" 

Winners of the raffle each took to the stage to snip one of Ms. Stein's ponytails: Chuckie Higgins, Grade 4 (in red); Valery Ochoa, Kindergarten (in blue); and Jeremiah Rose, Grade 1 (in yellow).

This year’s holiday gift drive at the Lyndon raised 60% more funds than last year’s, allowing the school to provide 16 families in need with gift cards to help them during the holiday season.