Schools

Off With His Hair: Cutler Council Treasurer is a Man of His Word!

Cutler Student Council members and advisors shave heads, dye hair pink as part of Pennies for Patients drive

Reported and written by Ellyn Santiago.

Thomas Readett meant it when he said it. He just wasn’t sure he’d actually have to do it.  

Readett, a Cutler Middle School 7th grader and treasurer for the Student Council sought to motivate students and staff to contribute to the Pennies for Patients campaign.  

“Yeah, I did really mean it when I said I’d shave my head. I wasn’t exactly sure I’d have to, though,” the outgoing and bushy-headed student said as his haircutter began readying him for the buzzer. (Check out the awesome video attached!)

Readett promised that if the school raised $1,000 in its Pennies for Patients drive, he’d have all his hair chopped off.  

Cutler took the bet and raised way more, at last count, well over $2,000.  

Seventh grade language arts teacher Nancy Stankiewicz explained that the school began a Pennies for Patients campaign, a program where people drop spare change (or cold hard cash) into jars around the school and is ultimately donated to children with Leukemia, Stankiewicz said.  

“Individual students raised money, students and teachers paid $10 to have their handprint put on the cafeteria wall, and we put several jars in the cafeteria with different colors on them.  The jar with the most money is the color that the teacher advisors and the officers of the student council will dye their hair.”  

And dye it they did – pink!  

But before the dying commenced, during the schools televised morning announcements, Readett had his head shaved by his haircutter, Kathy Leuze of Otto's Barber on Bank in New London.  

Cutler Student Council advisor and sixth grade language arts teacher Leslie Forbes said she was super proud of the council kids, adding it is among the most determined of council’s at the school – ever.  

“I’ve done student council for awhile, and they are the most motivated group,” she said before having her hair slathered with pink dye.  

The Cutler Middle School Student Council officers are:
President:  Emma Sammons                                                     
Vice President:  Skyler Pearse                                                     
Secretary:  Amber Salazar                                                     
Treasurer:  Tom Readette


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