CUTTING THROUGH COVID Cosmetology instructors and students experience learning in a new way Greysin Wirths

Cutting Through COVID

Instructors and students experience learning in a new way.

Greysin Wirths, Reporter & Designer

▲ Photo by Greysin Wirths ▲

Amanda Lamkin, Hutchinson, perfects her styling skills. She completed one of the five stamps required at the end of every month.

▼ Photo by Greysin Wirths ▼

Students experience learning while social distancing. Classroom tables arespread apart and only one student is allowed at each table.

COVID-19 has changed lives and forced a new normal, causing a stay-at-home order that shut down businesses and schools across Kansas. At Hutchinson Community College, the decision was made to move to remote learning on March 16. This left the cosmetology program to face new challenges.

Cosmetology requires a very hands-on learning environment so it was almost impossible to learn efficiently through the online method. Many students were uncomfortable with the sudden switch.

“We had two weeks of down time and only the unknown,” Nicole Ray, Hutchinson, said.

From March 16 until June 1 cosmetology students had to learn virtually. Students were allowed back on campus at the start of June but freshmen and senior classes were to be kept separate into morning and afternoon classes. When not on campus they were at home studying through a hybrid method which combines in person classes and online instruction. In July, students were back full time on campus, but without clients until Sept. 1.

“Packed everything up and took it home, had to do everything on our bib heads,” Emma Kaberline, McPherson, said about the sudden switch from in-person classes to online.

Most students were not comfortable with the technology so they had to send in pictures of their bib heads through Facebook Messenger.

“Students need hands-on learning so moving to online was stressful,” said Stevie Gulic, Cosmetology Trainer. Because of COVID-19, students have lost four months of interaction with real clients.

► Photo by Greysin Wirths ►

Bib heads sit patiently waiting to get their hair styled again. The school assigns five bib heads per student cosmetology student.

Students now start their day at 9 a.m. with theory and book work, leading to the floor to work on what they just learned and practice on clients or their mannequin heads. They also complete “stamps” where students have to do five certain hairstyles on their bib heads to hand in at the end of the month when they do not have clients at their station. Students have lost the opportunity to get the full experience of communication without real clients.

“With COVID restrictions, we have less clients” said Emma Kaberline, McPherson

Other changes made because of COVID-19 include not being able to take tours to other salons or having mock interviews with salon owners which gives them professional connections for finding jobs after graduation. Another downfall is not being able to attend events such as Skills USA, where all the students across the United States competed against others in their field.

“My only fear is that a client will not communicate if they have been exposed to Corona virus ending in the school shutting down again” said Bailee Stewart, Hutchinson.

Interaction with clients also brings the uncertainty of being exposed to the coronavirus. “Students need the crazy and unpredictability on the floor from the clients,” said Alex Hass, Cosmetology Program Coordinator.

Most students in cosmetology also have kids so going to study at the library is not an option for them. As well as students aren’t allowed to only do online but they are allowed to get 10 hours a week at home if they need.

The instructors are doing their best to maintain a sense of normalcy by keeping positive spirits and wearing fun masks while teaching. Everyone is close like family. Due to COVID19, Hass has been kept from her distant family, so students took the time to surprise her with a baby shower celebrating the upcoming delivery of her third child.

“It really meant a lot to me,” Hass said.

Even with the necessary changes, the cosmetology program strives to keep their doors open so students can continue learning in the classroom setting.

▲ Photo by Greysin Wirths ▲

Dacie Ellis, Hutchison, focuses on curling her bib head’s hair. Students were required to work on bib heads when they were not with a client.

▲ Photo by Greysin Wirths ▲ Alexis Faudoa, Hutchinson, rinses out a client’s hair while following COVID-19 prodicals of wearing a mask. Students and clients were both required to wear masks.

▲Photo by Greysin Wirths ▲

Waxing eyebrows, Emma Kaberline, McPherson, applies a post-deplitory lotion. Waxing is one of the services provided at the cosmetology school.

PANDEMIC PLAYS

Regan LaRue, Reporter & Designer

Change is difficult. While working around changes due to Covid19, the Hutchinson Community College theatre department had to come up with a way to continue the show. The first production of the year had a much different look.

Due to the pandemic, Theatre Director Deidre Mattox and her students performed Pandemic Plays in a creative social distancing way. In order to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, students were located in different rooms throughout the Stringer Fine Arts Center. Each individual student was equipped with a laptop, video camera and props and performed in front of a green screen. Throughout the play, they acted out different scenarios within a Zoom video call which was broadcast live to audience members. These scenes all have to do with the experiences that many people faced during the pandemic quarantine. To conclude the play, the cast each performed their part of a poem and then all of them joined together, six feet apart and masked, to bow.

Pandemic plays CAST: Tori Thurston Shelby Kemp Keely Schmidt Nick Hockett Shay Brown Hannah Hayden Andrew Voth Maisy Lowers Marissa Franz Emmalyn Gaeddert