After months of preparation, three cosmetology students from Plant City High School earned the honor of participating at the Skills USA National Competition June 24 to 28, in Kansas City, Mo. — if they can raise the funds to cover the cost of the trip.
Ashley Bishop, Molly Copeland and Jana Watkins need to raise more than $3,000 by May 14, to travel to the competition.
The trio earned their bid for nationals after their first-place finish in the Florida Skills USA Competition April 30, in Pensacola Beach. Six students from Plant City competed in the state competition. Bishop, Copeland and Watkins competed in the community service division.
As part of the competition, the trio gave a presentation on their year-long community-service project. At Plant City, the cosmetology students work with Best Buddies, a program that fosters friendships between disabled students and other students.
“We were very excited,” Watkins said. “Honestly, we didn’t think we’d win, but then they called out name for first place.”
Since 2007, the cosmetology department has produced an “Everybody’s Beautiful” fashion show. The students transform their buddies with a makeover. The event raises about $1,000 for the Best Buddies program.
“They’ve always been so special to me,” Watkins said. “Those kids are just like us.”
Cosmetology students have been giving their buddies haircuts since 1999, when teacher Laurel Ritenbaugh met a severely disabled girl, who lived in a group home. The girl had a shaved head, because her hair was too hard to maintain every day.
“The cosmetology students get really excited,” Ritenbaugh said. “Some have never spent time with a special-needs person. But, it just takes one time. It’s really cool.”
The team hopes to impress the national judges with their story.
“It would be so special to us to share the word about how amazing these kids are,” Watkins said. “I believe we can go, because Plant City always comes together.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
HOW TO HELP
To make a donation to help send the team to the Skills USA National Competition, call (813) 757-9370, Ext. 6.