Aron Borden from New Glasgow gives back to the former school one snipe at a time
NEW GLASGOW, NS – “A little off the top.”
You can guess North Nova Education Center (NNEC) students getting a haircut from alumni and hairdresser Aron Borden this Friday (June 23) may have more detailed requests, but either way, it’s a free service provided by Borden who just wants to give back to his former school.
“I had seen my friend from Oxford share a post that someone down there was doing free haircuts,” said Borden, noting he wasn’t sure of all the details in that situation, but it was enough to spark the idea in him at prom and graduation just around the corner. “I thought why not try it? I called my old high school and explained to them what I wanted to do, and they were very grateful (for the idea).”
Borden started working with Chignecto Central Regional Center for Education African Nova Scotia student support worker Kennedi Atwell about the plan and posted a Facebook post herself that exploded.
“As a former North Nova graduate, I wanted to give back and in doing so I will be giving away free haircuts at the school to graduates who can’t afford a haircut for prom or simply haven’t booked in time and can’t find a place to get their hair cut’ Borden wrote.
“I’ll be there all day on the 23rd, there’s a sign up, I believe, at the front desk or Kennedi Atwell, one of the student support staff. I ask everyone who wants to come to come with clean hair, washed and free of product, and a photo explaining what your desired look is. Hopefully this will reach the right person and I can help. Attached will be some pictures of my work to maybe help you decide what they want.
Atwell talked about the logistics of the plan.
“On Friday, June 23, North Nova will have Aron Borden come to the Room of Excellence from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to give free haircuts to students going to the prom. Students sign up on an application form that I keep outside my office, and in return they receive a consent form that must be signed by a parent/guardian to participate in this opportunity.”
Atwell said that while graduation is an exciting time for students, it can also be stressful with costs and crowds and Borden is helping to take some of that — somewhat literally — off students’ shoulders with his offering.
“Having the opportunity to go to the hairdresser for free can reduce the stress that students and their families are feeling right now. I hope this opportunity can influence our students in North Nova to give back to their communities in the future,” said Atwell.
“Not only is it nice when a former student pays it up front, but it is also very encouraging for our students to see a member of the community succeed at their job; especially our African Nova Scotia students because Aron is a member of the black community here Pictou province.”
NNEC director Ann Findlay also praised Borden’s generosity.
“It’s great that Aron Borden, a former NNEC graduate, supports our students with free haircuts. Students and their families look forward to celebrating many years of hard work culminating in prom and graduation,” she said. “NNEC is grateful that Aron is giving his talents because we know our students will love their new hairstyle for graduation week.”
Borden talked about his path to becoming a hairdresser, a decision and profession he is very happy with.
“I had been cutting hair since I was in 8th grade; I did it for friends and it started with doing my dad’s hair,” says Borden, who was born and raised in New Glasgow. “I did less and less, but finally in 2018 I went to Eastern Collage for the hairdressing program and now I am at Legends barbershop in Cole Harbor since 2020.
“I like it so much I want to come home and do it for free,” he said with a chuckle.
The 2012 NNEC graduate talked about his memories of the school.
“I had one teacher who really stood out for me, Fred MacKenzie. He taught the Leadership Grade 12 program in high school and he instilled a lot of good ideology in us, the students. He made it a safe place to express ourselves and that’s why I always wanted to do something along these lines and hopefully it will gain traction and someone else might want to do something for others later on.
