Perched on a tall stool outdoors with her long, black hair in braided ponytails, Sophia Mauro took a deep breath and gave her stylist a signal to proceed.
Behind the clubhouse building off Kellogg Mill Road in Stafford County, the youngster whoâll soon turn 13 had already witnessed her good friend and Holy Cross Academy classmate Champ Clark get his brown locks lopped off.
Still, Sophiaâs eyes popped a little when the stylist slid scissors in place and began snipping off a head full of hair in braids, most a foot long or longer.
Asked if she was ready for the second part of the haircut, which would leave her bald, Sophia didnât hesitate, answering, âIâve been waiting for this for a while now.â
Holy Cross Academy classmates shave heads to raise money, donate hair to St. Baldrick's fredericksburg.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from fredericksburg.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
They did it for Helen. They wanted to make a difference.
Now a determined group of 2020 Colonial Forge High School graduates who lost their friend in a car accident have been recognized with a National Purpose Award for their work to improve Staffordâs rural roads.
Their classmate, Helen Wang, was killed in a crash May 16, 2019, on her 17th birthday.
After more than a yearâs work to create change, her young activist friends won âBest Student Campaignâ through PR Week, a national trade magazine for the public relations field. The recognition followed many meetings with legislators and the birth of the student-led group, Changing Staffordâs Roads, which culminated in Helenâs Law.