When Reon Lawlite moved to the Binghamton area and began his junior year at Union-Endicott High School, he was aware of Liberty Partnerships Program. But he didn’t consider joining right away.
Reon never had a hard time with academics or making friends. He was used to switching schools and taking college-level classes In New York City before he and his family moved to the Binghamton area. It wasn’t until his sister suggested joining LPP that he wondered if the program could have something to offer him.
What he found in LPP was a dynamic he didn’t have in other schools: a strong sense of community and mentorship from the LPP advisors, Bernardo Cruz and Stephanie Loke.
Bernardo, his first LPP advisor, helped Reon stay focused on academics and his long-term goals. “He definitely did help me a lot with being humble and knowing how to approach situations in school. He helped me with that mental shift a lot,” Reon said.
As Reon got more involved with the program, he would go to the Liberty classroom during study halls and whenever he needed something during the day – whether it was a question about school work or a friendly conversation with an upperclassman or lowerclassman he hadn’t met yet.
“I really enjoyed meeting new people. I talked to a different person every day,” Reon said.
When Stephanie took over from Bernardo as Union-Endicott’s LPP advisor in his senior year, Reon appreciated gaining another mentor who could give him a different point of view. “I had two different mentors from a female and male perspective. It all added up and helped me out,” he said.
Reon also got involved outside of the classroom, joining his Liberty classmates from Union-Endicott and Binghamton High School for community clean-ups and other volunteer events. Touring colleges in the area and getting to see what it was like on those campuses was another favorite memory.
Although the campus tours gave him a sense of what he wanted to do after high school, Reon graduated during the COVID pandemic in 2020 and found that virtual learning wasn’t a fit for him.
“I kept it honest with them, like ‘I’m not enjoying college right now and I’m not gonna try to force myself to enjoy what’s going on. So I’m gonna step away, take a break,’” he said. That year, Reon found out he was having his first child.
“At that point, it was just focusing on working and taking care of my family.”
After working for a few years in manufacturing and carpentry, Reon found a Master Barber program at BOCES. “I was always interested in barbering since I was young, but I never thought of being a barber. I never thought of that in my plans for the future,” he said.
After deciding to give the career change a shot, Reon started the program in January of 2025 and graduated with his Master Barber license in December. He’s been working at Studio 11 since June of 2025, first at their Endicott barbershop and now at their Johnson City location.
Reon didn’t always consider himself a big people-person, but being a barber has taught him that a lot of people weren’t just coming for a haircut. He found that your personality and being open to interactions is a big part of being a barber.
“What you say, how you speak to people will have them coming back to you,” Reon said. “A lot of guys who come to our chairs want to express themselves.”
Now with three children, a daughter and two sons, Reon’s favorite part of the job is actually most barbers’ least favorite: kids cuts. His own sons are always on the move, so he understands how to keep little kids happy and entertained throughout the appointment.
Some kids who don’t like to get their hair cut anywhere else even ask their parents to go back to Reon’s chair. “Hearing that made me happy,” Reon said. “Maybe I am doing my part, putting smiles on kids’ faces.”