From the classroom to the barber shop: Macon students get more than haircuts

As clippers buzzed softly and light chatter filled a classroom at Union Elementary School, a student asked if he had to pay for his fresh haircut.

“You do have to pay — smile at someone today and give them a compliment. That’s your payment,” local barber Daude Harrell told him.

A dedicated group of local barbers is trying to make a lasting impact in Macon, not just by cutting hair, but also investing in the futures of young students.

Local nonprofit Barbers on Duty set up shop at the elementary school on Mamie Carter Drive early Monday morning, offering free haircuts to male students. The outreach is part of an ongoing initiative to support families while mentoring youth across Middle Georgia.

“We go out and have what we call ‘shop talks,’ where we cut the kids’ hair and have a special topic for the day, maybe something like hygiene,” said Daude Harrell, founder of Barbers on Duty and owner of the historic, family-owned Harrell’s & Son’s Barbershop.

The organization has been serving youth in Middle Georgia for more than 10 years, providing more than just haricuts, he said. Its outreach efforts also include mentorship and education, focusing on four key areas: entrepreneurial awareness, athletics, life skills and strategic thinking.

“The biggest part I like about it is knowing that I’m giving back,” Harrell said. “A lot of problems that I see are people leaving our community and not pouring back into it. I know the benefits of people reaching back, so I like knowing that I’m being a part and a real agent of change.”

Barbers on Duty regularly partners with local schools on all levels, Harrell said, building long-term relationships with students who often recognize him and reach out when they need support. He said he’s booked up all week, giving haircuts to students ahead of end-of-year ceremonies.

Nine-year-old Sanaa Huff offered a shy smile and said he liked his haircut. He spent time in Harrell’s chair talking about his future and remembering past visits to a local barbershop when he was younger.

“I want to be an engineer,” the third grader said.

Ojore Harrell, Daude’s 17-year-old son, joined Monday to help. He said he picked up razors at age 12 and has carried on the family’s barbering tradition ever since. Now, he’s inspiring other young people to set goals early, just as he did.

“It’s definitely a blessing for sure to have a skill and give back to the kids that’s around my age and giving them that exposure because they ain’t too far from behind me,” he said.

Ojore, a student at Central Georgia Technical College and fourth-generation barber, is working toward his master barber license. He said investing in youth is essential to building a stronger community.

“A lot of these problems that we face in Macon... would be minimized because I think the problem that we’re having comes from a lack of teaching, for sure,” he added.

Daude Harrell said he hopes the children who benefit from the services will be inspired to give back to their communities in the future.

“When we go out to these events, we cut at least 20 to 30 heads,” he said. “I always add that up, so it’s like $400 to $500 pouring back into the community weekly.”

Harrell said he hopes the children who benefit from the service will one day be inspired to do the same in their own communities.

“I’m praying they see how much this helps them and their parents,” he added.

Visual journalist Katie Tucker contributed to this story.

This story was originally published May 21, 2025 at 5:00 AM.