For teens in Boston Public Schools, a new opportunity is shaping the future of their careers - and it's happening in the heart of Nubian Square. Thanks to a partnership between In the Cut Barbershop and the Boston Education Fund, young people in the community now have access to a free barbering course designed to equip them with hands-on skills and valuable career advice.

"They gave me an opportunity."

Among those benefiting from the program is 16-year-old Angel Alemar.

"They gave me another opportunity that I wouldn't have had otherwise," said Alemar. "I think it's really cool they're doing this for the teenagers."

Alemar, along with other participants, has spent weeks mastering the art of barbering. For him, the program has ignited a passion for entrepreneurship. He is now thinking about one day opening his own barber shop.

"It's an option that I now have that I wouldn't have had otherwise," he said.

The course is led by Jaz Pagan, a seasoned barber who also discovered the power of barbering when he was a teen. Pagan used the skill to help fund his college education and is now passing down that same knowledge to the next generation. The program not only provides training; each student leaves with a complete barber kit, including all the tools they need to get started in the industry.

Gaining skills and confidence

Pamela Leins, the executive director of the Boston Education Fund, said that the program is about more than just teaching a trade. It's about exposing teens to new possibilities and giving them the confidence to see themselves succeed.

"You have to give exposure," Leins said. "They have to see themselves be able to do it and then also give them the ability to know that they can do it. So it's not just like you can be a barber; it's like, you can be a barber and go to school and make money and pay for school. It's just a revolving door of opportunity."

As the program continues to grow, In the Cut Barbershop is inviting others to get involved, whether through donations or simply spreading the word. For more information on how to support or participate, visit In the Cut Barbershop's website or check out their social media pages.