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“Don’t give up.” “Push through.” “You can do it.”
Over and over, stylists and salon owners encouraged cosmetology students at RL Turner High School to finish the final year of the three-year program strongly and to complete the testing required for their cosmetology licenses.
The spring is a perfect time to have a mentoring day because seniors’ motivation dwindles and fears about testing for their licenses sets in as students near completion of the program, said vocational cosmetology instructor Traci Stock.
Students as young as 17 years old can successfully gain their licenses and start working at salons, but vocational cosmetology instructor Brian Rodriguez said that if they take a break between their coursework and starting their careers, fear is likely to stop them before they even start.
To reduce fear and prevent students from losing interest, he and Stock reached out to local professionals to inspire the students with a day of mentoring, hands-on instruction and networking.
On Monday, March 25, the professionals arrived armed with compassion, knowledge and encouragement.
Shiva Vashani, hairstylist with Salon D, said she became a cosmetologist when she was going through a divorce and had three young children. She said cosmetology school was the only educational option that worked for her.
“Fifteen years later, and I absolutely love it,” she said. “I look at is as something that gives me everything in life that I wanted … it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever done.”
Kelly Taylor of Lure Salon in Dallas described how almost everything that could have gone wrong did during the practical part of her exam and how she wanted to give up but didn’t and managed to pass.
“I really love this, and I hope you all push through,” she said. “It is definitely worth every minute you put into it. There’s always something new to learn.”
Erin Gigger, loc specialist and stylist at the Texture Experience in Addison, said she attended four years of college studying graphic design before she finally turned to her first love. She recommended students complete their licensing even if they don’t follow cosmetology full time after they graduate.
“This is something you have in your pocket … so you can make money when you are in school or at your boring job.”
Rodriquez said young people don’t have the foresight to know that starting anything new is going to be a tough at first, whether is cosmetology or college or their first professional position outside of college. To make it easier for their students, the cosmetology instructors are looking for business partners so students have a place to land after they finish the cosmetology program.
Ideally, students would start the cosmetology program as freshmen, become licensed after their junior years, and have a year of practical experience under their belts when they graduate from high school, Stock said.
“The mentoring is what is so important,” said Salon 13500 owner Joyce Cummings as she discussed with Rodriguez and Stock what they were looking for in local business partnerships.
“If they don’t get that and have a good first experience, they’ll leave” the cosmetology industry, Rodriguez said.
Turner’s cosmetology department has 40 modern styling stations and nine shampoo bowls and can accept 200 students in three levels. One hundred seventy students are enrolled this year.
Started in the 1960s, the program was expanded as the result of a $350 million bond in 2018 that allowed improvements to the career and technical education departments.
“The point of today is to show them that it’s so much better than what they can imagine,” Stock said.
The school offers a community salon day once a month where community members can receive cosmetology services for discounted rates, which allows the students to practice their skills on people instead of mannequins.
Appointments are required. The final two of the 2023-2024 school year are April 18 and May 16.
Haircuts, hairstyling, hair color, permanent waves, facials, waxes and nail care are on the menu.
No walk ins are allowed. Fill out the form at https://turner.cfbisd.edu/campus-information/cosmetology-community-night to request an appointment.
Salon Centric of Dallas donated 150 samples and 43 swag bags in addition to full-size bottles of product to support the mentoring day.
