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Worlds of opportunity are available to MHS Cosmetology students

Sara Cardenas, Vazyria Brewster and Joanna Ramirez used teamwork on their first live model clipper cut in MHS Cosmetology class.

Worlds of opportunity are available to MHS Cosmetology students

January 30, 2017

MARSHALL, Texas – The thought of completing a “1,000-hour course” can be quite imposing on a young Cosmetology student at Marshall High School. But the ones who make it through, according to instructor Yulanda Roach, experience an immediate world of opportunity once they make it to the finish line.

Makenna Alexander gives a client a manicure with nail art.

MHS Cosmetology students who complete their 1,000 hours become immediately eligible to apply for and take the state licensing exam upon graduation. At that point, if they pass the exam, MHS Cosmetology students can then immediately walk right into a career of such as stylist, manicurist, make-up artist, or any other number of specialties in the profession.

“There are so many career opportunities once a student gets the recommended 1,000 hours in high school,” Roach said. “If completion is not met during high school, the hour requirement is 1,500 so it is a big advantage to the student to take the course in school. Careers can include salon owner, stylist, manicurist, make-up artist, cutting specialist, hair color specialist, instructor, just to name a few.”

Six former MHS Cosmetology students are currently licensed, Roach said. These students were able to take advantage of the opportunity for a career in cosmetology without having to go to college.

“Some of our students, unfortunately, don’t have the financial means to go to college and college may just not be for them,” Roach said. “But being able to already have a career base and graduate high school and immediately join the workforce is a great achievement for them.”

To receive a certification in Cosmetology, students must complete 1,000 hours of coursework at MHS. This includes daily theory classes and practical skills performance on mannequins, as well as some on their classmates. The program is a three-year base program of Cosmetology, with courses including Introduction to Cosmetology, Cosmetology I and Cosmetology II.

The students also get valuable experience through the “Mav Salon,” a student-based salon at MHS which is open Wednesday through Friday each week during the school year, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The salon is open to the public by appointment, with prices ranging from $5-$25 depending on the service.

Students are taught basic skills such as roller sets, finger waves, manicures, pedicures, facials, make-up application, and all of the recommended Safety and Sanitation measures as required by the Texas Department of Regulation and Licensing, Roach said.

MHS Cosmetology instructor Yulanda Roach (left), with former student Celsi Cisco who celebrated reaching her required 1,000 hours of coursework in March of 2016.

The Cosmetology course at MHS was first implemented in 2010, and Roach would like to see continued growth moving forward.

“We want students that are really serious about becoming a licensed operator,” she said. “We want them to know and understand what all that entails before they make the commitment of three years in the course. In the future I would also like to see our class sizes grow and develop the skills necessary to compete nationally against other students from other places.”

As the instructor of the MHS program, Roach is excited about being able to influence and help students find a career in cosmetology and help them get started on their career path.

“What excites me the most is to see these young ladies or men advance and move forward with a promising career in Cosmetology,” she said. “Students will let me know I had some kind of positive effect on them and that I encouraged them to reach their highest potential, and that is what really makes what we do all worth it.”

Contact Roach at 903-927-8800 ext. 1095 to get more information or to make an appointment in the Mav Salon.

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