Community service has become a huge trend in recent years, especially at Laguna Blanca School. From a student-run concert benefiting American soldiers in Afghanistan to a Save the Ocean club that picks up trash at the beach, Laguna students are well-known for their countless hours of giving and are acutely aware of and involved with helping the world around them.
Not many people know that community service work at Laguna Blanca starts as early as kindergarten, and in this specific case with sixth-grade student Spencer Rycroft.
Rycroft has been an active participant in community work since age 5. He has done everything from raising money to support an orphanage in South Africa to growing out his hair for the organization Locks of Love. Locks of Love makes wigs out of donated human hair and supplies the wigs to cancer patients going through chemotherapy.
Q: What inspired you to donate your hair to Locks of Love?
A: My grandmother went through chemotherapy and lost all of her hair. I saw her go through this and it immediately made me want to start helping other people. Then my mom told me about the organization Locks of Love, and I decided to grow my hair out and donate it to cancer patients.
Q: In what other community service projects have you been involved?
A: My first project was when I was 5, the second when I was 8, and I also organized a community service project in fourth grade. My grandmother and my dad’s whole side of the family live in South Africa. I have spent a lot of time there, so I decided to get involved with an orphanage I had visited called Clouds of Hope. I raised money to support and feed the children. I also took soccer jerseys and other sports equipment back to South Africa.
Q: How long was your hair?
A: In the front, my hair was about 9 inches; however, in the back my hair was almost 12 inches. It went to about half way down my back!
Q: How long did it take to grow out?
A: About a year and four months. But it took only two minutes to cut it all off!
Q: How did it feel to grow it out for so long and then have it all cut off so quickly?
A: It was more difficult to take care of when it was longer, so it felt really great to cut it all off. I also felt good because I knew I was helping a sick person somewhere out in the world.
Q: Did you get teased for having long hair?
A: For the most part, no. People would sometimes call me a girl or “princess,” but the teasing never bothered me. I figured the teasing doesn’t compare to the suffering of someone who loses their hair because of cancer.
Q: What do you want to do next?
A: I want to raise more money for the orphanage Clouds of Hope and maybe grow out my hair again.
Q: Do you think you want to continue with community service work?
A: Yes, definitely! That is what I hope to continue to do for the rest of my life.
When not helping others, Rycroft spends his free time playing soccer, drawing and writing. He has done so much for his 10 years of age. Just imagine how the world would be if there were thousands of kids donating so much of their time to their community and beyond.
— Aija Mayrock is a sophomore at Laguna Blanca School.