Traven Welch gets his hair cut Tuesday by Mexico hairstylist Kelsey Wallace, who volunteered her services at the Western Foothills Regional Program in Rumford. Welch was one of eight students who accepted the offer. The school has about 30 students in grades kindergarten through eight, Director Crystal Duguay said. Submitted photo

RUMFORD — Eight students in the Western Foothills Regional Program received free haircuts Tuesday from Kelsey Wallace of Altered Ego hair salon in Mexico.

Many of the students have a lot of sensory needs and challenges around some things others take for granted, like getting a haircut,” school Director Crystal Duguay said. “Sometimes, you know, salons can be overstimulating with the smells and the lights and the sounds and it’s a challenge for parents” to get their child’s hair cut.”

The school has about 30 students in grades kindergarten to eight.

The idea of having Wallace come to the school got its start with conversations between Wallace and two of her longtime clients, Paula Gallant and Sue Provencher, who are educational technicians at the school. After talking with Wallace and getting her to agree, Gallant and Provencher presented it to Duguay, who said it would benefit students and their families.

It’s not the first time Wallace has donated her services. In August before the start of the school year she gave around 30 children from the Rumford area free haircuts with the help of donations from some area businesses and people purchasing gift certificates.

“I just really like helping,” Wallace said. “I really just want to help these kids feel good, and I’m hoping to continue doing stuff like this every once in a while; whether it would be for their school every six months or whatever.

“Just the smiles is a huge reward for me,” she said.

Duguay said Wallace plans to come back in the spring.

“The students were absolutely thrilled with the haircuts and can’t wait to do it again,” she said.

Matthew Jackson, left, and Trevan Welch are all smiles after getting a free haircut from Kelsey Wallace of Altered Ego hair salon in Mexico. They were two of eight students in the Western Foothills Regional Program in Rumford who accepted the offer. The school has about 30 students in grades kindergarten through eight, Director Crystal Duguay said. Submitted photo