School day gets a makeover

By Ken Johnston
Editor

A unique course at Rainy River High School has proven to be one of the most popular ones in years. 18 of the 120 students at the school have been taking Cosmetology and are really loving it.
Teacher Jenelle Lowes recruited the help of licensed hair dresser Lori Kuzyk to demonstrate the practical side of hair dressing. After several weeks of text book work involving theory of hair dressing and developing business plans as though they were opening a salon, students then began several weeks of practical class work.
Lowes also had Heidi Brielman, a licensed Massage Therapist, come in and demonstrate head, face, foot and hand massage techniques, which all go hand in hand with hairdressing and mani/pedicures.
Lowes said that the school is always looking for something new and different and this program seemed to fit the bill. This is the first time to her knowledge that any school in this district has offered Cosmetology. Dryden has offered it to our north and schools in Southern Ontario have as well.
Lowes said that when they started the program two students had indicated an interest in pursuing cosmetology as a career. “Now we have five really interested.” She said that the program offers hands on experience and life skills as they learn theory and do practical work. Another student has also indicated an interest in becoming a massage therapist.
Since none of the students are licensed, they can not do anything practical without the direct supervision of Kuzyk. Recently, RRHS teacher Robert Murphy volunteered to have his hair cut by them. Lowes said that Kuzyk worked with one group of students on one side and another on the other side. “It turned out great and the kids were right into it,” said Lowes.
Two Fridays ago the class went on the road to the Rainy River Long Term Care Facility to do hair styling, manicures, etc. for residents there who were getting ready for a Mother’s Day tea later that day. It was well received by the residents and the students really enjoyed doing it.
“Some of the girls are volunteering to go back weekly and do the seniors hair until the end of school as volunteers. They will get community service hours for it,” said Lowes.
She hopes to get other hair dressers in the community to come to the class and demonstrate more parts of the course and is also looking towards next year where RRHS may expand the class to two periods instead of one and maybe get some of the students to do coop placements at local salons. “One period is just not long enough and now they will have skills that they can use at the salons rather than just answering phones.”
Kuzyk said that the students are really enjoying the program and that because she is in the school as an Educational Assistant she knows them all. “Social skills are very important in hair dressing. I know which ones are talkative and which ones are shy and try to bring them out of their shell.”
Kuzyk likened the practical part of the course to that of the Home Economics course that used to be offered at RRHS in the 60s and 70s. “We loved that hands on stuff and this is like that.”