There’s a hot new hairstyle trend taking root in the Dieringer School District this week, but the nearly two dozen girls joining in didn’t cut their hair because they wanted to be fashionable.

They did it because they wanted to help.

Friday morning at Lake Tapps Elementary, the annual Haircuts for Cancer took place during lunch, with 22 girls of all ages volunteering to have at least eight inches of hair cut off to be donated to make wigs for cancer patients.

On the stage as the other kids watched, it was all smiles.

“This makes me happy,”said Brooke Lee, 10, who was donating for the second time. “I feel like I helped out a lot of people.”

For many of the students, the decision to donate a good chunk of their locks was a personal one.

“My nana has cancer so I wanted to help her and everyone else who has cancer,” said Alexis Yarnell, 8, upon seeing more than eight inches of straight, brown pony tail come off in a single clip.

Maria Rink, 9, donated her hair two years ago, but this time around, the decision hit closer to home as she has a friend who is presently going trough chemotherapy and losing hair because of it.

“I was going to give my hair to her, but then we looked into it and they needed more hair,” Rink said.

According to School Counselor Deanne Carter, it takes at least six eight-inch ponytails to make a single wig, which can cost as much as $1,200.

The 22 students who took part in Friday’s event spanned all three of the Dieringer schools, including Dieringer Heights, which this past week lost one of its own to cancer when former principal Jim Milden lost his battle with the disease.

Lee, who had not gotten her haircut since last year’s Haircuts for Cancer event, said Milden’s death helped spur her on again this year. Lee had 10 inches cut from her hair and said if she has enough hair again next year, she will donate again.

The cuts were done by 12 stylists from around the region, including Sumner, Lake Tapps, Enumclaw, Suburn and Bonney Lake, all of whom volunteered their time for the event.

The girls all got cuts and then had their hair professionally restyled as parents, siblings and friends cheered them on.

And though they all came away with a fabulous new look, the girls never lost sight of why they there.

“I feel bad for people who have no hair because of cancer,” said Naomi Bridgeman, 8, holding up two ponytails that used to be on her head and may now find their way to someone else’s.

The stylists who volunteered to help cut hair at Lake Tapps Elementary’s Haircuts for Cancer event were:

Tracie Griffus, Lake Tapps Salon, Lake Tapps

Deanna Wahl Beyond Design, Bonney Lake

Kathy Ihlenfeldt A Day at the Spa, Bonney Lake

Becky Rick, Tangles Salon, Bonney Lake

Stephanie Hanenberg, Great Clips, Lakeland Town Center, Auburn

Amanda Bergman, Main Street Salon, Sumner

Jenn Lindstrom, Hula Moon Salon, Enumclaw

Caitlyn McKinney, Main Street Salon, Sumner

Lynn Hauge, Andrea’s Hair Designs, Lake Tapps

Andrea Forsberg, Andrea’s Hair Designs, Lake Tapps

Jeska Lyons, Great Clips, Lakeland Town Center, Auburn

Diane Iwerks, A Day at the Spa, Bonney Lake