St. Joseph’s Alum Is Changing the World, One Haircut at a Time

The slogan for Chelsea Wilson’s “RezKutz” business is, “Your satisfaction is my goal,” and it’s something she lives out through the satisfaction of giving back to the school she attended from 1^st through 8^th grade: St. Joseph’s Indian School.

Chelsea recently offered two three-hour hair cutting sessions for boys in 1^st through 12^th grades.

Conversations with Frank, a Residential Coordinator at St. Joseph’s,  were the spark that grew into the haircut clinic. Wilson wanted to have a positive impact on current students and show them they can be anything they want to be.

As she set up, she began laying out a spread of razors, clips, sprays, combs and scissors. A self-taught stylist, she offers a sophisticated range from trims to line-art cuts, 12 different styles in all.

With a little help from the students, the satisfaction speaks for itself.

“I liked getting my hair cut. It made it so I’m not so hot.  Chelsea was good to me,” said fourth-grader Kaiden.

Stephen and Robbie, houseparents at St. Joseph’s, vouched for the students in their home who were all happy about their haircuts.

“I enjoyed visiting with Chelsea while she cut hair,” said Robbie, who added that Chelsea interacted well with the students.

From a cultural perspective, hair has powerful significance to the Native American students who attend St. Joseph’s Indian School. Some prefer to wear their hair long and in a braid, which, in part, signifies the strength of the intertwined hairs over the single strand. The expression one makes by the way their hair is worn is respected at the St. Joseph’s, and students make their own choices about it. Chelsea respectfully asked each student permission to touch their hair before beginning.

Chelsea, 26, feels especially connected to the school these days. Her mother passed away in late 2020, and her three siblings currently attend.

“This place is a good place with a lot of fun and more activities than home,” she said.

All involved felt the clinic was a success, and plans are in the works for another clinic later this spring.

To read more alumni stories, visit stjo.org/alumni today. 

Author: St. Joseph's Indian School

At St. Joseph's Indian School, our privately-funded programs for Lakota (Sioux) children in need have evolved over 90 years of family partnership, experience and education. Because of generous friends who share tax-deductible donations, Native American youth receive a safe, stable home life; individual counseling and guidance; carefully planned curriculum based on Lakota culture and individual student needs and tools to help build confidence, boost self-esteem and improve cultural awareness. All of this helps children to live a bright, productive, possibility-filled future. View all posts by St. Joseph's Indian School