JHS cosmetology hosts Princess Day

BUDA — Upon entering Johnson High School on Saturday April 22, real-life princesses in ball gowns opened the doors and music from a simpler time played through the sound system. Turning the corner to enter the cosmetology center, where the event would be taking place, the music became muffled by laughter and talks of who each other’s favorite princesses were.

Princess Day is one of the many events and fundraisers hosted by the JHS cosmetology class throughout the year. The fundraiser is focused on creating a fairytale experience for more than 100 children, age 12 and under, by offering hair styling, pedicures, manicures and makeup.

Photo by Brittany Kelley
Alyssa M., 5, gets a finishing touch of blush at Johnson High School Cosmetology Princess Day on Saturday April 22.[/caption]

“As of now, we have 124 children signed up [for the event],” said Aimee Foster, a cosmetology teacher at the high school. “They come to the front desk, check in and we have a beauty carnival. There’s lots of things going on. They can pick and choose to do as much as they want or as little as they want. Our students will greet them and act as their fairy godmother and let them choose a hairstyle, get their fingernails painted and get their toes done.”

Options for face paint, hair chalk and temporary tattoos were also available for the children to customize and develop their personal princess style.

Throughout the salon, children were lining up to get pampered and chatting with newly found friends. Typically, the child, already in their princess outfit, would head to the styling chair where a cosmetology student would collaborate with them to pick out a hairstyle fit for royalty. After, they headed to paint their nails with a color that surely matched their outfit. Lastly, the cosmologists applied makeup — the longest portion of the rotation.

Providing community events such as Princess Day is the focus of the Hays CISD Career and Technical Education (CTE) department. The department provides opportunities for students to gain certifications in various career paths, which would allow them to graduate with the ability to secure a job quickly, if not before they walk the stage.

Suzi Mitchell, director of CTE, explained that “the main goal is to get our students ready for our local workforce. We work with local workforce boards to say, ‘What do our employers need?’ We really want to get our students ready for our community … [The students] are passionate about this. They come to school because [these careers] are what they want to do.”

The cosmetology department holds various events throughout the year to show its appreciation and dedication for the community — from custodian nights to monthly salon nights for adults, visiting nursing homes to aiding with the elementary carnivals.

“It gives these students some real world, real clients to work with. Because in the class, they work on each other, they work on mannequins, so it’s [about the opportunity] of learning customer service. There’s no better way than the community. It’s about giving back and trying to be there to support them,” said Foster.

The JHS cosmetology program has more than a 50% success rate for obtaining the cosmetology license and a 99% pass rate for the technical tests. The program is rigorous, requiring more than 1,000 hours of hands-on experience, a written exam and a four-hour practical, but it does provide a cost-effective option for students who want to obtain the license without the expensive price tag.

“I went to the traditional school [when I got my license],” said Foster. “I was 19 or 20 before I was actually working, whereas these girls can graduate and have a job the next day. It’s also the cost of our four-year program. They will not be out of their pocket any more than $600 versus a private cosmetology school, which runs about $20,000.”

Despite some student's initial intimidation of the program, the department is growing rapidly with the addition of another teacher to accommodate for the demand, and adding another in the future for the ever-growing waitlist.

“[The students] love it. It’s grown so much, we’re over-full. They love that they can take their skills home and work on family and friends. They love that they have this career option,” said Foster. “We’re really successful and we’re all really proud of [the program].”

Students can find more information on the JHS cosmetology department as well as other CTE opportunities at .