Vidor students inspired to make others feel better about themselves on track to make it a career

Published 12:34 am Thursday, May 19, 2022

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VIDOR — Delaney Perry was very self-conscious about how she looked.

She could do any hair style or color, but the results bothered her. Then she added extensions and began to feel confident.

She wanted to make other people feel that way. Doing something to make another person feel better about themselves is the goal.

Perry decided to join the cosmetology program during her sophomore year at Vidor High School. That required her to write a one-page letter to the instructor, explaining why she wanted to become a cosmetologist and what she could learn from the program.

She ended up among 15 to 20 other students chosen because the department can only accept a certain amount.

Today, the 17-year-old is one of 15 cosmetology students set to graduate with a CTE certificate this month.

Vidor High offers a variety of courses that offers certificates of completion to help students find a career after graduation. The career and technology department, also known as CTE, offers a range of certificates.

In Perry’s letter, she said she wanted to make people feel confident and beautiful. Cosmetology combines her talents for hair and makeup to help others feel confident when leaving her chair.

The course prepares students for the State Board Exam while staying current with new trends.

“On Thursdays, we have client day and all different types of people come to our chairs, and our instructor will go over the client’s hair and explain how different hair textures need to be treated,” Perry said.

“This is how we gain our experience. Also, I specialize in highlighting and Balayage. In the Balayage hair color technique, highlights are hand-painted or ‘swept’ on the surface of random sections of hair. Dye or lightener is usually painted on, starting mid-shaft and becoming denser as it moves down the section of hair to the ends. I definitely specialize in women’s haircuts and styles.”

Perry’s passion for cosmetology is a common in her family.

Her mom has worked as a teacher since 1999. Growing up, she knew she had a mothering side and wanted to teach. She also chose cosmetology because a cousin and older sister work with hair. Her sister has six children and does hair on the side.

Perry said her goal is to become a cosmetology teacher to help others in a similar way the CTE program helped her.

“I applied for the teacher preparation program at Lamar State College Orange to get my teaching certification,” she said. “For two years, I will work at VHS and then transfer to Lamar University to get my teaching degree, as well as work to gain my instructors license, and then take my final test to become a cosmetology instructor.”

Finding your fit

Alexis Rice pursued more than one certificate in the CTE program.

“When I was attending the business classes, I would braid my hair,” the 18-year-old said. “My teacher mentioned that I should research the cosmetology program, and I decided it would be a nice fit for me. I enrolled into the intro course my sophomore year and I love it.”

The business course is principles of business and accounting.

Students can earn a certificate in Microsoft Office Specialist and receive a Quick Books Certificate in accounting.

The school’s business contacts stress that students must Quick Books Certifications so they can be hired right away.

Rice said she wanted to help people fall in love with themselves.

“I want people to accept and love who they are,” she said. “Hair is a form of self-expression, and when people look in the mirror, they recognize who they are. I want to help people become their best selves.”

After high school, Rice wants to pursue barbering school in Beaumont.

For more information, call 409-951-8931. This is the second part of a VHS CTE Series. This story was written by Sierra Kondos.