No child who attends the Back to School Extravaganza this Thursday will be leaving without a haircut.

That was the message from the Caines brothers and 5 Star barbershop who are preparing to host their third annual event at St Paul's Centennial Hall.

In addition to sharpening up students with haircuts and braiding, the group will provide each child with a book bag filled with supplies for school.

A new feature this year is the introduction of services for the girls in the community, which includes hair braiding led by the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

The Caines family representative, Deshay Caines, said: “The theme for the Extravaganza this year is ‘We Believe in You'.

“This is our way of communicating to our students that the entire community of Bermuda is behind them.

Michael Chamberlain, owner of 5 star barbershop, said: “I feel proud to know that I can stand up here saying that I am doing something good for the community.

“We came up with this beautiful thing three years ago for the youth. I'm going to have nine barbers on board starting from eight until whenever, because no boy is not leaving here without a haircut. It is my duty to know that they come here and come out clean.

“I feel proud of myself to know that the youth are getting something good because enough of the youth I know are fatherless; some of them have passed on or whatever like me — I grew up with no father. I know how it is because you have to have a strong brain when you don't have a father around you to focus.

“So, I'm saying to all the youth look forward, hold your head high and move straight because you can be something out of nothing.”

Shawnta Simmons, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc, said that the women of Sigma Xi Omega are absolutely overjoyed to join the event and are focusing on young girls in need this year.

They will be donating the backpack school supplies, providing manicurists as well as hair braiding on the day.

Carlton Crockwell, CEO at Security Associates, one of the sponsors, said: “We believe the young people are our future and some of them are now. So we believe the more money we put behind our young people the better Bermuda is going to be.

“Young people come on out. We want you going to school feeling good because, when you do, your grades will increase and your success in Bermuda will be seen for the future.”

Niall O'Hare, CFO of Sun Life Financial International, said: “We are in the business of making brighter futures happen, not just through our products and services but also for the local communities in which we live and work.

“Our donation of school kits for primary, middle and high schoolchildren as part of the Extravaganza will benefit 600 Bermudian children as they prepare to begin a new school year.

Doors will be open on Thursday from 8am until 6pm. There also will be motivational speakers throughout the day, a DJ, stalls and games.

Community sponsors for the event are Security Associates, Sun Life Financial, South Shore Hospitality Group, Atlantic Vision Care, St Paul's AME, Sunshine Company and Trinity Sound.