Career and Technical Education Department hosts Pink Hair for a Cure event during Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Students and staff lined up outside of the cosmetology classroom at Mount Vernon High School on Thursday, October 24, 2024, ready to get their hair done and buy cookies for the Career and Technical Education Department Pink Hair for a Cure fundraiser.

The fundraiser was in partnership with the MVHS SkillsUSA Club, a student-led organization representing CTE students. Cosmetology students inserted extensions and braids into participants' hair to raise money for breast cancer research. 

“Me, Mrs. Larmon and chef (Samantha Cohen, culinary teacher) got together and decided we were going to try to do something for breast cancer awareness,” said Agnes Taylor, Cosmetology Teacher at Mount Vernon High School. “We came up with something they’ve done before COVID. I had the students braid different textures of hair; we have weaved hair, we have braiding hair, we also have strips of ribbon in case they want to put that in their hair instead of an actual braid.”

Prior to the event, students prepared the hair extensions by braiding and curling the hair, putting perm rods on the tips of the extensions and boiling them. Culinary students also sold pink ribbon cookies they baked and donated the proceeds. 

“It feels good knowing that I’m doing it for a good cause,” said Shyiann Smythe, a senior cosmetology student at Mount Vernon High School. “I did about five peoples’ hair, and they all did different kinds of extensions in different parts of their head. My favorite part about today was knowing this was all for a good cause.”