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The first time West Side High School senior Jovonna Robinson picked up a blow dryer and hairbrush to style a client’s hair, she felt nervous.
Robinson, who’s part of the high school’s cosmetology program, worried her client wouldn’t like her work and feared she would run out of things to talk about. But after a year of interacting with customers and practicing finger waves, pin curls, and other hairstyles, Robinson now feels confident in her skills and is considering a career in cosmetology as she nears graduation.
“I actually want to be a dentist, but if it doesn’t work out, I’m definitely going to pursue something in cosmetology. I really love, just, the whole setting of talking to [customers] and making sure they’re comfortable,” said Robinson.
Now, Robinson and other West Side High cosmetology students have a new place to learn their craft: 403 Salon and Spa, a full-service salon located on the first floor of the school. During Thursday’s salon debut, students like junior Amelia Liley were grooming their customers’ cuticles and getting their nails ready for a new coat of paint. Others, like senior Nakira Poole, were giving their classmates facials.
Like a traditional beauty salon, 403 Salon and Spa is equipped with a front desk to check in clients, a waiting area, and several hair styling stations with blow dryers, brushes, tall mirrors, and swivel chairs. The salon also includes a hair washing station and a manicure and pedicure area.
Towards the back of the salon, a private room with a spa bed is available for facial and wax services. Roughly 100 students are enrolled in the cosmetology program, but only those who’ve obtained a permit, a certification that allows students to perform cosmetology work under supervision, will practice their skills.
A price list was not available on Thursday, but the salon plans to offer a variety of services, such as shampoo and blow dry, hair cuts, braiding, hair coloring, scalp treatments, and skin and nail care by appointment to the public on Fridays between 3-7 p.m., according to Paul Brubaker, the district’s spokesperson.
Salon coordinator and the school’s cosmetology teacher, Nicole Daniels, said she was adamant about creating a space that allowed students to feel like they were working in a real salon. Daniels learned cosmetology in high school, an opportunity that allowed her to work during college, save money, and pay for schooling as she completed her science degrees. It also helped her buy her first home at 26, Daniels added.
“I want our students to be able to, yes, get a college degree, but not have to worry about how they’re going to pay for their books, pay for their meals, because now they have a license and credentialing that they can have for the rest of their lives,” said Daniels at Thursday’s grand opening.
Alternative career paths are on the rise
Since returning to local control, Newark Public Schools, under Superintendent Roger León, has launched new trade-focused schools, including Newark Vocational, which offers pathways in culinary arts and hospitality, and the Newark School of Architecture and Design, which offers tracks in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work.
Those efforts are on par with research that shows that, for the last few decades, just over 40% of recent high school graduates have enrolled in a four-year college. That number has been fairly stable, even as high school graduation rates have grown.
In 2024, only 45% of teens saw a two- or four-year college as their most likely step after high school, down from 50% in 2021 and 73% in 2018, according to research from the American Student Assistance, a nonprofit helping students make informed choices about their career goals. At the same time, students considering vocational schools, apprenticeships, and technical boot camp programs more than tripled from 12% in 2018 to 38% in 2024, according to the nonprofit.
To get a cosmetologist hairstylist license in New Jersey, students must be 17 or older and are required to complete 1,200 hours of instruction at an approved school, pass state exams, and apply to the state board of cosmetology. Those seeking certification as a manicurist or skin care specialist have similar requirements but require fewer hours of instruction. The new salon at West Side allows students to complete their required hours and earn their license by the time they graduate.
That’s a perk for West Side junior Dsyiah Ferdico, who said 403 Salon makes her feel excited about her future. While wearing an apron that read 403 Salon, Ferdico soaked her toes in a foot tub as Robinson, her classmate, sat on a stool to give her a pedicure. To Ferdico’s right, senior Kylah Masey rested her head on a shampoo bowl as senior Marquesha Gordon scrubbed her scalp.
Like some of her classmates, Ferdico plans to pursue a career in cosmetology after high school, and eventually wants to open her own salon. Ferdico credits the program with teaching her how to engage with clients and lean into her expertise by recommending services and hair styles.
“If you want to pursue cosmetology after you graduate, you can do hair, and you can decide what services you want to do,” Ferdico said. “You don’t have to do everything. You can do what is personally for you. That’s what I love about this. I love how it makes you so confident.”
Jaylen Johnson, a junior football player at West Side, started the cosmetology program thinking he would learn how to be a barber and solely work on men’s hair. But after being exposed to different aspects of the program, he felt comfortable learning how to do braids and other techniques to style women’s hair. With the rise of AI and new technology, Johnson also feels cosmetology is a career “robots” won’t be able to do.
“Learning self-grooming is always wonderful and learning how to groom your peers is always necessary,” said Johnson on Thursday. “Everybody needs haircuts. And that’s one thing I look at, that robots and stuff won’t be able to do.”
Robinson, the senior cosmetology student, agreed that “doing hair is always going to be needed” and is thankful for the opportunity to explore a career she hadn’t considered before.
“It’s good to learn different skills,” Robinson said. “It’s not always good to be stuck on one mindset. I opened my options of what I want to do.”
Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.
