For most, attending summer school is seen as a punishment for not doing well enough to pass a class or classes. But for aspiring cosmetologists, summer school is a requirement — and a fun one at that. At Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School (CTE), students in the cosmetology program are spending a month this summer learning skills at the Albany and Schoharie CTE campuses.
While some would think the requirement would be difficult for students to accept, nearly every cosmetology polled recently said they enjoyed the summer classes.
“My favorite time at CTE would have to be the summer hours program. These mandatory days during the summer were both fun and educational,” said Class of 2015 graduate Samantha Flavell of Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District. “It was this time were the serious students were weeded out and we got to look at who are senior class would be. Even though I had to be in school for 20 days during the summer, it was then that out class truly bonded as friends.”
Teacher Pat Gollub said that in order for students to earn the 1,000 hours of classroom time required by the state to become licensed cosmetologists, students must spend 120 hours during the summer between their junior and senior years in classes.
Classes started June 23 and continued through July 23, giving students a little more than a month of recess before the 2018-19 school year begins. More than 50 students from most area high schools are enrolled in the program. They arrive at both CTE campuses by 8 a.m. daily and stay until at least 2 p.m.
Throughout the summer Gollub, fellow Albany teacher Jean Hoffer and Schoharie CTE cosmetology teacher Nancy Schmidt bring in guest lecturers to talk about various aspects of the industry – from hot stone massage to waxing and gel nails.
“It breaks it up a bit and exposes the students to various aspects of the industry,” said Hoffer.