PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Chayse Smith is happy with his new haircut and the backpack he received at Uplift Barber Studio in Pittsfield.

 “I like it!” Smith said.

Owner Carlton Rose wanted to give back to his community by providing free haircuts and give kids a little boost to start the school year off right.

“So they can have confidence and be ready for the school year and be able to feel good about their self and be able to take the school year with stride and dedication,” Rose said.

Rose and Jose Torres opened the doors Monday morning for kids 12 and under, and it didn’t take long until they were busy. 

Caleb Victor says he is excited to go back to school with his new haircut.

“Because then my hair will be all over the place and it will be easier to comb with this new haircut,” he said.

Jayden Hyde said it made him feel a little more ready for school.

“It feels pretty nice,” Hyde said.

Max Powell works at the shop and say a fresh haircut can go a long way for kids.

“For me personally it would make me confident, and I think it should make other people confident saying like they look good for the first day,” Powell said.

The service also providing an assist to parents who appreciated what it did for their families.

“I’m a single parent so it means a lot and its saving me tremendously and not only that it gets the kids out here to meet some other kids from the community,” said Yulanda Chadwell.

“Definitely that’s needed in the community. We need more programs like that to give back to the youth. We got a lot of youth out here that they need guidance, they need mentors, that type of thing. So this is good to have this type of energy for the kids,” Michael Hyde said.

And after a new haircut, there was plenty of positive energy as some kids even stopped for a photo op to show off their look. 

This was the first free haircut before school day Uplift Barber Studio put on — and it wont be the last.

Students head back to class in Pittsfield on Thursday.