Cosmetology offers opportunities for high school students

CFISD’s career and technical education curriculum options are just another way the district offers traditional and non-traditional opportunities for every student. That includes a program like cosmetology, where classes not only educate students on a possible career in the field, but open doors to it upon graduation.

More than 1,200 students are enrolled in cosmetology across CFISD’s 12 comprehensive high schools. With some programs still growing at newer schools, the demand and enrollment is so large at others that some campuses require two teachers to meet the need.

CFISD even established, coordinated and operated its first-ever districtwide cosmetology competition, holding the contest Feb. 10 at Langham Creek High School.

Langham Creek High School sophomore Anayah Dunbar stands beside her braiding project that won Best in Category at the inaugural CFISD Cosmetology Competition on Feb. 10 at Langham Creek.

“It’s growing and the interest in cosmetology just seems to keep increasing,” said Dr. Sharon Hogue, coordinator for career and technical education.

Freshmen, sophomores and juniors can take Introduction to Cosmetology and Cosmetology I, where they explore areas such as hair styling, manicuring, sterilization and sanitation, the principles of hair cutting, coloring, facial makeup, requirements and expectations, and career opportunities.

Upon completion, juniors and seniors can take Cosmetology II and Principles of Cosmetology Design and Color Theory. The curriculum combines to allow a student to earn the 1,000 clock hours of supervised classroom instruction and demonstration needed to meet the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation requirement. A student is also qualified to take the state board test and earn a Texas Cosmetology Operator License following the advanced training upon passing the exam.

Cypress Ranch High School senior Arianna Foster won Best of Show in fantasy braiding at the SkillsUSA Texas District 8 Leadership Conference and qualified for state competition.

That not only gives each student the opportunity to move right into the workforce following graduation, but does so at a fraction of the cost. The only fees associated with the curriculum are the cost of a $25 permit, the student’s kit and his or her test fee.

“People are blown away to know that instead of spending $27,000 someplace else, they can get it essentially free – or close to free – and come out ready to work as soon as they exit high school,” Hogue said.

CFISD added the cosmetology competition to give students a more cost-effective opportunity to showcase their work and compete. Almost all schools were represented among the 85 projects that were entered.

The event also served as a precursor to regional and statewide competitions held through SkillsUSA, a career and technical student organization which serves nearly 400,000 students and professional members enrolled in training programs in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. The state competition is April 5-8 in Corpus Christi.

Plans are in place for the districtwide competition to grow, just as cosmetology continues to in CFISD.

“Teachers here are trained (and) they’re competing with any school that’s out there,” said Lynette Mosby, a Langham Creek cosmetology instructor. “So, if your student is thinking about doing something like this, Cy-Fair is an awesome place for them to get started.”

Record-breaking Superintendent’s Fun Run continues to grow

Growing from a simple idea to bring CFISD employees together and raise money for the Cy-Fair Educational Foundation (CFEF), the Superintendent’s Fun Run and Festival has grown into a community event that even Dr. Mark Henry, CFISD superintendent of schools, couldn’t imagine.

Now in its fifth year, the Fun Run and Festival has exceeded most – if not all – expectations. In addition to the 5K and 1-mile races, event organizers and support staff have been able to lean on numerous school, community and business partners, who have reciprocated through participation, sponsorships and support, helping turn races into a carnival-like atmosphere featuring on-site vendor booths, food trucks, bounce houses and student performance groups.

And the fifth edition, held March 24 at the Berry Center, was historic – representatives from CFISD and Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital, the event’s underwriter, presented the CFEF with a check worth $100,000, a total nearly doubling any of the Fun Run and Festival predecessors.

“That was my goal five years ago,” Dr. Henry said. “To eventually get to $100,000, but I thought it would take longer than this. But I will say that number is significant because that endows a scholarship for a student – $100,000 is a very, very nice scholarship for a student and that goes on into perpetuity. It never ends because we just take the interest and investment earnings off of that $100,000 and create a new scholarship every year so I’m really excited about that.”

The Fun Run and Festival featured a 5K and a 1-mile run that took place in and around the Berry Center and Lone Star College–CyFair. An added addition this year was the sleep-in pass, giving those who couldn’t attend an opportunity to still contribute.

Helping start the 5K was Arnstar from GoNoodle’s Blazer Fresh, who led race participants in stretching exercises before Dr. Henry signaled the official start. Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital, the event’s underwriter, sponsored GoNoodle Plus for CFISD K-6 teachers, students and parents for the 2017-2018 school year. A classroom movement program aimed to fuel learning through the power of movement, GoNoodle is used in 80 percent of U.S. elementary schools.

“The energy, the electricity – it was impactful,” Arnstar said. “And just to know that Blazer Fresh is making a difference in the way it is, I’m super grateful.”

In all, 60 sponsors helped make 2018’s Fun Run and Festival the biggest to date. That included Memorial Hermann Cypress, which has firmly entrenched itself as an ally of CFISD in just its first year. Hospital representatives were among the 80 vendor booths that helped give the event a carnival-like feel.

“Cy-Fair ISD knows how to do it right and knows how to put on an event,” said Heath Rushing, Memorial Hermann Cypress and Katy senior vice president and CEO. “We’re just proud to be a part of it.”

And while the Fun Run and Festival supports CFISD students through helping fund CFEF scholarships and other opportunities, the event also prominently featured hundreds of students of all ages.

More than 1,400 registered for the two races. More than 500 participated as volunteers. The 17 performances featured groups from a number of schools, including the Jersey Village High School cheerleaders, Andre’ Elementary School Leopard Steppers, Rennell Elementary School Redhawk Dance team, Cypress Ridge High School Dazzlers, Anthony Middle School Glee Club and Cypress Lakes High School R.E.D. Storm.

“One of the things I take great pride in is the adults that work and live in this district have great relationships with the students that go to school in this district,” Dr. Henry said. “That’s a culmination of great parenting, great school system and instilling in students the idea of giving back for the things they have so much to be thankful for. I just really appreciate all the parents, the teachers and the employees, and of course our students for making this a success.”

Da Vinci Day a showcase event for young GT students

Just as a number of departments within CFISD have events and programs highlighting the opportunities they offer students, staff, families and community partners, the same can be said for the HORIZONS Program, which serves the needs and interests of academically gifted and talented students.

One of those showcase events is Da Vinci Day, which brought together more than 2,350 CFISD elementary and middle school HORIZONS students on Feb. 24 at Cypress Ridge High School for a morning of activities that challenged their critical thinking and allowed them to demonstrate skills in science, STEM and fine arts.

Volunteers from the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Alley Theater, Space Center Houston and Play-well (Legos) of Dallas brought their equipment for hands-on learning and excitement to more than 2,350 CFISD elementary and middle school HORIZONS students during Da Vinci Day, held Feb. 24 at Cypress Ridge High School. The Houston Zoo also served as a partner, bringing animals to the showcase event.

“Da Vinci Day is such a wonderful opportunity for our HORIZONS students to gather and participate in activities designed and differentiated to challenge and engage them,” said Katrina Nelson, CFISD director of advanced academics.

For the 2018 event, community partners that came in to help challenge the HORIZONS students included the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Alley Theater, Space Center Houston, Houston Zoo and Play-well (Legos) of Dallas. They brought their equipment for hands-on learning stations.

The Houston Zoo even brought animals.

Da Vinci Day is a showcase event for CFISD elementary and middle school HORIZONS students, which serves the needs and interests of academically gifted and talented students. The morning of activities challenges students and their critical thinking and allowed them to demonstrate skills in science, STEM and fine arts.

Other community partners who have been a part of Da Vinci Day activities include Little Breakers Science Lab and Color Me Mine, a paint-it-yourself ceramics studio.

But it’s not just CFISD community and business partners engaging and working with HORIZONS students at Da Vinci Day. The 2018 event saw more than 200 CFISD elementary and middle school staff and administrators lead participants through sessions like coding, robotic challenges, science labs, art activities and escape rooms.

In addition, over 200 students from Bridgeland, Cy-Fair, Cypress Falls, Cypress Lakes, Cypress Ranch, Cypress Ridge, Cypress Woods and Langham Creek high schools volunteered in helping the event be a success.

“There were sessions for everyone at all different interest levels,” said Dr. Linda Macias, associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction and accountability. “Certainly, it’s an opportunity for us to highlight our gifted and talented students and continue supporting them in this district.”

In addition to a number of community and business partners helping put together Da Vinci Day, the 2018 event had more than 200 CFISD elementary and middle school staff and administrators participanted in sessions like coding, robotic challenges, science labs, art activities and escape rooms.

CFISD Community Cheerleader Spotlight: Cameron Dickey

As the third-largest school district in Texas and the largest employer in Northwest Harris County, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District impacts the lives of far more than the 115,000 students and thousands of teachers, employees and administrators across 88 elementary, middle and high school campuses and special program facilities that study and work within our walls. In fact, we’re proud that as a top-rated school district, the work we do within our school system extends beyond the schools and permeates within our neighborhoods and businesses, making the greater Cypress-Fairbanks community a better place to work, live, study and play. The Cypress-Fairbanks community excels because of our CFISD cheerleaders; the individuals and businesses that invest in and support our students and community at large.

Today, we highlight Cameron Dickey, the president and CEO of Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union, a longtime partner of CFISD.

How long have you lived/worked in Cypress-Fairbanks?

Five years.

Why are you so passionate about being a part of the Cypress-Fairbanks community?

As a Cy-Fair resident and father of four kids in the district, I think we have one of the best school districts in the state and I want to do what I can to support it, protect it and contribute to it.

How has Cypress-Fairbanks ISD impacted you, your family or your business?

When my family moved here five years ago, we were moving four kids (pre-K to high school) away from their friends, family and established roots there. In addition to new friends and new memories that we have made here, what we quickly discovered were amazing, talented teachers and district leaders that were invested in teaching and preparing our kids for their next steps in education and for life. We have pictures of our family at our first Cy Ranch football game five years ago and our youngest son asleep on my shoulder. We were in awe of the Berry Center and the investment the district and this community have made in education at each campus.

From a business perspective, I am proud to lead Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union and to be a champion and custodian of the special relationship the credit union has with the district. Sixty-one years ago, 10 employees of the school district–one high-school principal, one elementary principal, six teachers, the district’s business manager and a maintenance man–filled out the paperwork and paid the fee to charter CFFCU to serve the employees of the school district. For several years, we were operated out of a shoe box in a desk drawer at Cy-Fair High School. The heartbeat of those 10 CFISD employees still reverberates through the values of the credit union and prompts us to give back to the district and to support teachers, students and families in our community the way that those original 10 did.

Four years after moving here, my personal and professional lives intersected when Cy-Fair FCU reached an agreement with the district for the stadium naming rights at the Berry Center–where we watched that first football game as a fami–with all of the proceeds from the agreement supporting student programs and teacher salaries in the district’s operating budget.

What piece of advice would you like to give to Cypress-Fairbanks ISD students?

Work hard and truly do your best. There is so much opportunity in this world for people that dig in and do their best.

Second, volunteer and care about the people around you. Life can be hard and I’ve found that it’s easier together. Every person that you meet is a story still being written. In the few moments that you interact with the people around you, try to write something positive into their story.

Lastly, if you’ve always known that you wanted to be an architect and you can take all of the classes and volunteer learning opportunities–from middle school through college–that align with that career, that’s amazing and will serve you well. But if you are 16, 18 or even 23 and still don’t know what you want to be “when you grow up,” don’t worry…don’t give up. I went to college when I was 19 and 20 to study broadcast journalism. And then I got a job in financial services when I was 22 because I was tired of smelling like fettuccine and working weekends and holidays as a waiter. I didn’t know that banking and credit unions would become a career (my career) until I was 24. Keep trying things and be a life-long learner. It will all work out.

What’s your favorite thing to do, see, eat or experience in our community?

My friends and family know that I am a bit of a donut monster. My favorite is S.O.S. donuts at the intersection of Jones and West. Ask for Lee and tell him Cameron sent you. 🙂

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Interested in getting involved, being featured as an upcoming Cheerleader (or featuring someone who you think makes our district great) or in learning more about how Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District makes the larger Cypress-Fairbanks community a better place to work, live, study and play for all of us? Visit CFISDSpirit.com to cheer along with our team!

CFISD Community Cheerleader Spotlight: Darcy Mingoia

As the third-largest school district in Texas and the largest employer in Northwest Harris County, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District impacts the lives of far more than the 115,000 students and thousands of teachers, employees and administrators across 88 elementary, middle and high school campuses and special program facilities that study and work within our walls. In fact, we’re proud that as a top-rated school district, the work we do within our school system extends beyond the schools and permeates within our neighborhoods and businesses, making the greater Cypress-Fairbanks community a better place to work, live, study and play. The Cypress-Fairbanks community excels because of our CFISD cheerleaders; the individuals and businesses that invest in and support our students and community at large.

Today, we highlight Darcy Mingoia, a CFISD Trustee who enjoys giving back to CFISD students as a Bus Buddy during the first week of school.

 

How long have you lived/worked in Cypress-Fairbanks?

40 years.

Why are you so passionate about being a part of the Cypress-Fairbanks community?

Education is the great equalizer. It opens the door to opportunity for students. With education, you can accomplish whatever you want. In CFISD it doesn’t matter where you start or what zip code you live in; every campus, every principal, every teacher is committed to giving students what they need to be successful. I am proud of what we do!

How has Cypress-Fairbanks ISD impacted you, your family or your business?

My husband, Bob, and I bought our first home in CFISD because we did the research and knew that this district was the best in the Houston area. Our kids were 2 years and 6 months old when we got here. We had great experiences from day one. The academics were strong, the administrators and teachers were capable and committed to student learning and a wide variety of extra curricular opportunities were available. Both kids were well prepared for college. I am grateful for that preparation and for the success each experienced in college and in their careers.

What piece of advice would you like to give to Cypress-Fairbanks ISD students?

Invest in yourself by taking advantage of everything that is offered at your school. Listen. Read. Join a study group. Get to know your teachers. Participate in extracurricular activities. You will be prepared for your future–the workforce or further education. Hard work always pays off.

What’s your favorite thing to do, see, eat or experience in our community?

I can’t just select one! Riding the school bus with my friends at Hancock and Yeager. Having the opportunity to mentor students. Visiting our schools–we have amazing principals and teachers. Reading to elementary kids. Football at the Berry Center. Dinner at Jaxton’s. Shopping at The Vintage. Christmas at Champions Golf Club.

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Interested in getting involved, being featured as an upcoming Cheerleader (or featuring someone who you think makes our district great) or in learning more about how Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District makes the larger Cypress-Fairbanks community a better place to work, live, study and play for all of us? Visit CFISDSpirit.com to cheer along with our team!