City Cuts Barbershop — located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania — is on a mission to help kids build confidence and become great public speakers — one haircut at a time.

The popular barbershop — where young customers are offered $3 to read a book of their choice aloud while getting a haircut — is home to the Books By Kids program founded by the owner, Jon Escueta.

“Our goal is for the kids to boost their confidence in front of others without fear of being judged,” Escueta told CNN.

“Books By Kids” Our goal is for kids to build their confidence by reading in front of others while getting a haircut. Plus they will receive $3 for reading while in the chair. About 75% of Adults fear Public Speaking. @karribean_cutz @geostylez29 @therealjerryjones_ #booksbykids#citycutsbarbershop#kutztown#kutztownbarber#kutztownuniversity#keepitsimple#barbershop

Posted by City Cuts Barbershop on Tuesday, February 12, 2019

According to CNN, Escueta’s idea for Books By Kids stems from his personal experience with struggling to learn English when he was an 8-year-old immigrant from the Philippines.

“I didn’t know English and that was a lot. I felt like I was being judged,” he told CNN.

Now the 33-year-old entrepreneur is dedicated to helping young boys overcome shyness and similar experiences related to his own.

“The ones who are timid — I gravitate toward those kids,” he explained to CNN. “I know what it feels like and try to make them feel good about themselves.”

According to Escueta’s Twitter, about 75 percent of adults fear public speaking which is why City Cuts is doing their part to empower the youth in the areas of reading and speaking aloud.

#booksbykids https://t.co/NRRpv1fcZJ

— Jon Escueta (@CityCutsBarbers) April 7, 2020

Click here to donate to City Cuts’ Books By Kids GoFundMe account.

Books by kids

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