MANSFIELD, Ohio – Students in Crystal Weese’s cosmetology program recently captured five out of eight awards in the Fantasy Mannequin category at the Ohio Association of Beauticians State Beauty School Competition. The Mansfield Senior High School juniors and seniors dominated the hair competition by bringing home many other awards in various categories.
“I work with some of the most creative, most amazing students period,” said Weese. “People don’t understand that it’s way more than just doing hair.”
The students attended the beauty school competition in Columbus in November. They earned the most awards from over 300 competitors and 14 high schools and professional beauty schools.
There were five categories: Fantasy Mannequin, Mohawk Avent Garde, Bridal, Artistry in Ebony, and Ladies Consumer Day.
Brittany Goolsby, 17, entered in the Bridal competition, which had 15 competing teams. Four awards were given in the category and Goolsby won first place. The senior had 55 minutes to complete a hairstyle and makeup fit for a bride on her live model and classmate, Ariel McBride. Tierra McClain took home third place in the Bridal category. Her live model was Mariaha Funk.
“I practiced for about three weeks,” Goolsby said. “I had to come in at 4:30 a.m. the morning of the competition to get my model’s hair ready.”
Reggie Shaw, 16, made a mohawk into a goal post which was inspired by his love for football. His piece was disqualified, however, because of a height requirement neither he nor Weese were aware of. There were four awards given for the Mohawk Avent Garde category. Aveona Hatten placed second and Brooklyn Dean placed fourth in the category.
De’Erica Crawford, 16, placed first in the Fantasy Mannequin category which was comprised of 87 competitors. She hoisted a doll on top of the mannequin and the doll’s cheerleading skirt was made out of multi-color hair.
“I’m a cheerleader so I thought I should do the cheerleading thing,” Crawford said of her inspiration for creating the masterpiece. She said Weese gave them a month the work on their mannequins and it took her up until the day of the competition to complete the piece.
There were 87 competitors in the Fantasy Mannequin category. In addition to Crawford winning first place, Autum Olar took home second, Joyleah Odem, fourth, Aerial McBride, sixth and Adanelia Covington placed eighth. The students said they enjoyed competing and seeing the creations of others at the competition.
Weese said she wants her cosmetology department to become synonymous with the school to beat when going to the annual hair competition.
“I stay on them,” said Weese of winning the most awards at the competition. “I like to win. I’m competitive. I always tell my students, ‘If you’re going to do it, do it well.’ Our whole goal is to win.”
Tapping into their creative skills by preparing them for and competing in beauty competitions will help her students better succeed in the future, Weese said.
“A lot of times they are thinking they are just going to go behind the chair and do someone’s hair, but I’ve worked (in a lot of arenas) as a stylist,” she said. “I always say to them, in every advertisement there’s a stylist. There’s a job for every last one of you guys. I’m always pushing my students to go further. I just don’t want them to be in the shops. (These competitions) makes them broad, open and extremely versatile.”
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