Girls love their hair. They obsess over it, dye it, curl it, and hold it in place with endless cans of hairspray. But what if instead, girls gave up their some of their hair to help someone feel a little less out of place. That’s the goal of English teacher Cheryl Anderson as she has started a Locks of Love drive on campus.

“Wigs give [children] a sense of pride and [help them not] feel so odd anymore,” Anderson said.

Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to children who don’t have the money to buy their own. These hairpieces can be provided to children suffering from any number of hair loss related diagnosis: most children who are helped by this organization suffer from alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure.

The efforts of the organization have prompted some on campus to take action.

“This will be my third time [to donate],” Anderson said.

Anderson has had relatives go through the process of hair loss and then receive wigs.

“Wigs were the one true joy that they had in that whole depressing ordeal,” Anderson said.

Sophomore Anna Turner has also donated hair, just to a different organization. She was inspired to donate by one of her acquaintances.

“I have a friend who has alopecia and she’s about my age,” Turner said.

Many people have already experienced the satisfaction of providing unique support to those in need.

“I think it’s a great thing to do,” junior Jennifer Edgar said. “When women lose their hair while battling cancer, they can lose confidence in themselves and might not feel comfortable interacting in society.”

Anderson is hopeful her enthusiasm catches on as she donates for the fourth time to Locks of Love.

“I’m challenging Lovejoy High School. I’m challenging others to join me,” Anderson said. “I’m hoping the last pep rally of the year there is a whole line of us sending pony tails to locks of love.”