By Shirley Shuman
Final touches on the salon for the high school’s most recent CTE class, cosmetology, are now complete, according to Principal Lori Stover-Williams. The principal said that this class is the thirteenth CTE class offered at BCHS and noted, “During our five-year plan we have gone from seven to 13.”
“The new cosmetology lab is another amazing opportunity for our students to gain certification and be able to join the work force after high school,” Stover-Williams said. “Students interested in cosmetology can learn the needed skills before graduation in a state-of-the-art salon without having to travel to another area. Our students are running a job simulation from the ground up including entrepreneurship skills. It is an exciting time to be a student at BCHS!”
Both the instructors and the students in this new program are as excited as their principal. Instructors Cherlyn McCourt and Erica Samples described their route to teaching cosmetology and the program itself.
McCourt, a 24-year veteran in cosmetology, said, “I decided to take this job because I can help more people. Here, I can help the students and still do what I like to do.” She continued to explain that she had actually helped in construction of the lab, partly by advising those who did that work.
Erica Samples did not go directly from cosmetology work to becoming an instructor in the high-school program. After working “almost 15 years” as a cosmetologist, Samples moved to the school system but at another level. “When my youngest child started school, I worked as a substitute aide. I loved the school atmosphere and working with students and wanted to continue in that direction. That’s a basic reason I chose to work as an instructor in the cosmetology class,” she explained.
The instructors explained that the beginning of the class, before completion of the salon, involved bookwork. McCourt mentioned that students have done “a lot of book work” as a foundation for hands-on learning. “They have studied the importance of interpersonal skills, customer service, and etiquette along with some anatomy,” she said.
Samples, who said “About 35 students are currently enrolled in the class,” explained that until students have 250 hours of instruction, they are not allowed to practice on individuals. After that, they can practice on models who volunteer their time and whom the students cannot charge for services.
Students Gracie Dyer and Jade Chapman also provided information about the cosmetology class. Dyer, a junior, wants to be a hairdresser. To receive a license to practice, she must complete 1,000 hours of class and clinical work. Because she began the cosmetology program as a junior, Dyer noted she will need to return to the high school after graduation. “I need to return to pick up additional honors to qualify for my license from the state board,” she said.
Chapman, on the other hand, plans to become a cosmetologist and therefore must complete 1500 hours to obtain a license. Because she is a sophomore beginning the program this year, she will be able to earn the required hours before graduation. This year, Chapman has the block cosmetology class and is also taking the 45-minute foundations class.
Before completion of the 20-station salon, according to Dyer and Chapman, what “hands-on” work the girls did was with mannequins and was limited to “dry” activities. The girls mentioned that they learned to do pin curls and to use rollers along with other skills. Dyer commented, “Now that the salon has passed inspection, we can practice on the mannequins at the stations and will be able to shampoo hair and soon move to the dryers.”
Chapman noted, too, “We’ll also be able to practice on those in our class who are 16 and, with permission from parents, those who are under 16.” She is looking forward to that and also to the possibility that she “may earn enough hours to work with people before the end of the year.”
Asked what they liked best about the class, Chapman replied, “I like how ‘hands-on’ it is. It means we’re actually learning.” She is also “glad to get this opportunity [at Braxton] because it saves us money.”
Dyer likes the idea that there “aren’t that many of us and that gives us more ‘hands-on’ time.” She added, “I like the relationships within the class and that the teachers are more like advisers.”
The cosmetology classroom occupies what was once the school library. Work on the site began with the demolition of everything inside the room. Principal Stover-Williams explained, “The CTE students cleared out the room to get it ready. The rest, which resulted in dividing the room into two separate areas—a classroom and a 20-chair salon- was done or supervised by Maintenance Supervisor Mark Rose.” She added, “Of course our superintendent, Dr. Donna Burge-Tetrick, was with us all the way.”