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March 29, 2024

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High school students gain real world experience at SECTA salon

SECTA Salon

Tara Silvaggio, a senior in the cosmetology program at SECTA, gives Principal Rick Aguello a haircut on Tuesday. Launch slideshow »

Map of Southeast Career Technical Academy

Southeast Career Technical Academy

5710 Mountain Vista, Las Vegas

Principal Rick Aguello put his money where his mouth was when he sat down for a haircut in the Southeast Career and Technology Academy’s salon on a recent afternoon.

As senior Tara Silvaggio sized up her customer, program director Jan Garrett-DeSimone explained the significance of having high school students graduating with not only with a diploma, but enough hours to receive a professional license from the Nevada State Cosmetology Board.

“They leave here really well prepared,” she said. “Our clients expect even more from them than they would get at a salon. It’s an exciting environment for students to learn and work.”

The salon is open five days a week, Garrett-DeSimone said.

The program has been growing quickly in recent years: The school opened a new wing last April, adding 30 haircut stations and three facial spas to nearly double its size. It’s expected to open full-time next school year.

Before the addition, Garrett-DeSimone, a teacher for 22 years, said they “were always turning students away” because of the high volume of applicants. About 170 students are enrolled in the program, and she hopes to keep growing.

Clients come from all over the valley, Garrett-DeSimone said, for $6 haircuts, $12 pedicures and $22 colorings. Some include special needs students from other schools.

Those opportunities are what make the job enjoyable, said senior Jamie Milkowski as she worked on a mannequin while waiting for her next customer.

“I like the fact that you can put a smile on someone’s face,” she said. “It makes my day.”

And they do it every day -- SECTA cosmetology students log five hours each day, 180 days a year, for two years before earning their diploma. That gives them the 1,800 hours needed to apply for a license with the state cosmetology board.

Under the guidance of five instructors with decades of experience between them, the students develop plans for their own business and create their own marketing schemes to broaden the salon’s brand. All of the instructors own businesses, Garrett-DeSimone said, and try to “bring back to them what’s really going on out there and how the economy is affecting this business.”

Many of the students said they plan on finding work full-time after graduation. Others, like senior Ana Krittenden, plan to work their way through college using the skills they picked up in the salon.

The hours spent with live customers have given Krittenden some much-needed self-confidence before she leaves SECTA, she said.

“It’s important to interact with people,” she said. “On a mannequin, it’s not always right. Now, you have a real human being with feelings.”

The salon is open from 8 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, call 702-799-7500.

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