Michael Kahwaty Donates Hair to Charity

By Tina Pappas

Michael Kahwaty, an eighth grade student at School No. 1, finally decided to cut his hair!

The 13-year-old, who hasn’t had a real haircut since 2017, decided to donate his locks to charity. He came up with the idea for the fundraiser as a National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) service project.

“I’m donating my hair to ‘Wigs for Kids,’ a nonprofit organization that makes hairpieces for children who lost their hair due to medical reasons,” Michael said, adding that all proceeds from the event and from his online fundraising page will go to the NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center. “They treated my grandmother for ten years until she passed in 2008.”

The event took place in School 1’s APR on June 6. Tickets were sold prior to his haircut during the school day for a $5 donation, and a QR code on a flier that was previously distributed linked to the donation page.

With his fellow schoolmates, school staff, and family members on-hand for support, Michael received a stylish haircut from Gina Fernicola of Envy The Style Salon. Along with her daughter Angela who assisted, they cut approximately fourteen inches off his hair. He commented on how he felt afterwards.

“It feels so much lighter,” he quipped. “And it feels great to donate my hair.”

School No.1 Principal Dana Sprague said she is very proud of Michael for wanting to help the charities. She felt that coming up with the idea shows his dedication not only to the NJHS service project venture but also in donating his hair to children in need.

“I think taking part in something like this is totally honorable and shows his commitment to his NJHS service project venture,” she said. “I know it wasn’t easy to have all his peers here at this age level, so it’s something a lot of kids might think twice about...but he did not. He looks amazing and I’m really proud of him.”

Michael’s mother, Anne Kahwaty, said Michael came up with the idea himself as an NJHS service project.

“He wanted to pick something personal, but also help an organization, so he researched a couple of organizations that make wigs for children,” she explained. “He decided on ‘Wigs for Kids’ because they don’t charge the children for the wigs.”

Al Kahwaty, Michael’s father, added, “Michael has always been recognized for his long hair. By choosing to give that up for children who need it more than he does, and by honoring his grandmother who he never

Michael Kahwaty, an eighth grade student at School No. 1, decided to donate his hair to charity on June 6.Photo courtesy of The Kahwaty Family got to meet, and by rallying his community around these causes, he has made us so proud.”

Michael has so far raised over $1100 online for the NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center where his grandmother was treated.

“We just want to thank everybody here at School 1, including Ms. Marinelli, Ms. Sprague, all his teachers and classmates who came out to support Michael,” his mother noted. “It was a such good thing to do and I’m really proud of him.”

Michael is excited to be attending Passaic

Valley High School this fall as a freshman and plans to take part in the soccer program. He thanked several people after the event.

“I’d like to thank Ms. Fernicola for coming out here today to cut my hair, including Ms. Sprague and Mrs. Marinelli for supporting me with this idea,” he said. “I’d like to also thank my parents who encouraged and supported me throughout this whole event and idea.”

Anyone wishing to donate can do so at https://nyulangone.org/give/fundraise/ kahwaty