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Youngstown students get immunizations,free haircuts for back-to-school
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
Trinity Spencer, 11, a sixth-grader at Youngstown Community School, handled her immunizations like a pro.
The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley’s Success After 6 program hosted a wellness day Monday at the school.
The Mahoning County District Board of Health immunized Youngstown Community School students in kindergarten through sixth-grade.
Laura Weymer, director of community impact for the United Way, said education is one of the issues upon which the agency is focusing. It’s working to eliminate barriers that made getting quality education difficult for children.
“The school has told us that one of the barriers to children in school is immunizations,” Weymer said.
She contacted the health board and arranged Monday’s event.
Two of Brenda Spencer’s grandchildren, Trinity and Mercedes Haskins, 8, are YCS students. Though they both have the required immunizations to attend school, a review of Trinity’s records by the school nurse and health board nurses found that she soon would need a second chickenpox shot, one for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis and one to guard against certain cancers.
One hurt some, but Trinity barely flinched.
Mercedes is going to enroll in the United Way’s Success After 6.
Gary Thornton, whose barbershop, G’s Chop Shop, opens this week on Canfield Road, provided free haircuts as part of the activities.
Dena Jacobs brought her three boys, sixth-grade twins Daniel and Keilan, both 12, and Matt, 11, a fifth-grader, all at YCS, to take advantage of the free cuts.
“They want all different styles,” Jacobs said.
Keilan requested a low cut.
“They shave all of it off,” he said, pointing to the top of his head.
Keilan said he’s excited for school to restart next week. Math and science are his favorite subjects.
Other participants in Monday’s wellness day were the YMCA of Youngstown, Grow Youngstown, Ohio State University Extension Service, Mahoning County Educational Service Center and the Big Green Thing Food Truck.
Success After 6 is a pilot program at Youngstown Community School through the United Way. It’s a public/private early-childhood educational initiative that provides tutoring, supplemental programming and after-school support for kindergarten through third-grade students at YCS.