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Health & Fitness

Clover Park Technical College and Washington Corrections Center for Women celebrate cosmetology grads

Clover Park Technical College is proud to be a part of WCCW's cosmetology program for offenders interested in pursuing higher education. The partnership recently celebrated 15 new grads.

By: Melissa R. Johnson

Administrative Assistant, Washington Corrections Center for Women

On Jan.8, 15 students graduated from the Washington Corrections Center for Women's cosmetology program. As more people become interested in fashion, style and cultural trends, the beauty industry is a perfect opportunity for successful reentry. What better way to deter offender idleness than to provide creative freedom and the ability for offenders to forge their own career paths?In 1996, Washington Corrections Center for Women and Clover Park Technical College joined together to implement the two-year program in which students have the opportunity to earn their cosmetology licensing requirements. Participants must already have their GED and be major infraction-free within 90 days of their applications. Cosmetology covers a broad range of professions, from barber or hairstylist to manicurist or makeup artist and several others in between. Different licensing and training requirements exist for each occupation. At Washington Corrections Center for Women, students learn how to run a salon business, how to handle infectious disease and, most of all, safety. They also learn basic facials, manicures, pedicures, color, cuts, perms and scalp massage. This curriculum provides opportunities for women to learn job skills and gain important experience in the cosmetology field.
“I have been in the cosmetology field for several years, and used to be an educator for RegisCorporation, traveling all around the West coast, teaching advanced technique and current trends,” said cosmetology instructor Barbara Frink. “I find working here at WCCW for the past four years to be the most rewarding in my career. To see the women change, grow and gain confidence is remarkable."
“The cosmetology program at WCCW has impacted my life so much,” said offender Jennifer Lowe. “I have a new view on life with a great career ahead of me. I’ve done great things with my time here, and am very happy to have been able to experience this.”
“For this first time in my life, I was congratulated for my academic achievement and am on the president’s list at Clover Park Technical College,” added offender Jonee Rucker. “I owe my success to my teacher Barbara Frink for being a patient and compassionate teacher. This program has changed my life.”
Staff members are very proud of the accomplishments their programs provide the offenders. Over the past four years, half of the offenders who have participated in this program have received their licenses and a third of the graduates are practicing in salons throughout Washington State.

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