Barbershop pays kids to read out loud during haircuts

To help give kids confidence in public speaking and increase literacy, a barbershop in Kutztown, Pennsylvania is actually paying their clients to read!

City Cuts Barbershop started a program called "Books by Kids" that pays kids $3 if they read a book out loud while sitting in the chair while the barber cuts their hair. 

The shop's owner, Jon Escueta, tells Fox 35 that the idea came to him while coaching youth basketball.

"My team consisted of 5th to 8th grade both male and female. My players were afraid to communicate with each other and speak publicly during practice and in games. So we pretty much prioritize them one by one to speak to the team  during the huddle, before and after games, and during active practice. So I figured, how can I implement this in my barbershop?"

That's when he came up with a way to combine reading and public speaking that paved a way for kids to be comfortable in their own skin. 

His hope is that all the practice they get reading aloud to their barber will help them become more confident public speakers.

Escueta started the program with his own $50 and now he's receiving donations from the community to help keep the program going.

According to their Facebook page, about 75% of adults fear public speaking.

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