On Oct. 1, the Cosmetology Salon at the Delaware Area Career Center will open to the general public for the first time since the lab was moved to the Consolidated Campus at 4565 Columbus Pike, Delaware.
Instructor RoxAnne Ames said Wednesday that she and her students are excited to work with the general public again, providing a variety of hair styling services as well as manicures and pedicures.
Ames said the salon will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:45 a.m. to 2:20 p.m., and the salon is by appointment only to make sure the students have the time to complete whatever service they are providing.
Ames added students have to pass a variety of requirements before they are allowed to work on other people’s hair.
“They have to pass all their competencies, that means the theory and performances assessments, with a 75% or better before they can work on a human,” Ames said. “We do multiple assessments to get each individual student to where they need to be.”
Since the program was moved from the old North Campus to the Consolidated Campus, Ames said she’s already received several reservations for services.
“I don’t think the location was as conducive as this one will be,” Ames said. “What I’m most excited about is our new environment. It’s top of the line. A real-life salon experience. We have top-of-the-line equipment that we are working with. We are trying to do a spa-like atmosphere.”
Ames said she’s excited for her students to get valuable hands-on experience and fulfill their state requirements.
“It is a real-life salon experience,” she said. “(After working in the salon,) they will be ready to work in a salon, some of my students have jobs in salons already as receptionists or in guest services. It’s a state requirement that students must work on the general public. They must have so many hours in that category. They prefer it. They’d rather work on clients than mannequins any day. Even though the mannequins don’t complain or hurry them.”
Hannah McCormick, a senior in the program from Delaware Hayes High School, said she is looking forward to the salon opening to the public.
“I’m very excited,” she said. “I think the experience will be good for everyone. I’m a little nervous, because it’s real people and real people have opinions.”
Likewise, Harold Strapp, a senior in the program from Westerville Central High School, said he was looking forward to working with clients.
“I’m really excited and looking forward to the real-world interactions,” he said. “It gets us ready for customer service and working in a real salon.”
Strapp added he is slightly nervous because he’s “a people-pleaser” and wants every client to be satisfied.
Melinda Howlett, a senior in the program from Westerville South High School, added she is also nervous.
“Yeah, it’s a bit terrifying,” she said.
Ames said the prices are solely for the materials required, and clients must bring a state-issued photo ID to be let into the building. They must also sign a waiver before students can work on their hair.
Appointments can be made by emailing [email protected] or by calling 740-548-0708, extension 2239.
