JORDYN BALDWIN, a 2015 graduate of Hockinson High School, is nearly finished with her studies at the Aveda Institute’s Vancouver campus.
JACOBUS HARTER-FLYNN, an Evergreen High School grad, has completed about half of his cosmetology studies at Aveda Institute; he is a recent Professional Beauty Association’s Beacon competition winner.
AVEDA INSTITUTE opened a Vancouver campus at 615 NE 4th Plain Blvd. two years ago.
STUDENTS WORK with guests, instructors and mannequin heads on the salon floor at the Aveda Institute Vancouver campus last week.
Kari Conner has lived in Battle Ground with her husband, lifetime resident Don Conner, for 25 years.
During this time, she raised a family and outgrew a career. After her children had grown, she wanted a change and was thrilled when the opportunity came to jump into the health and beauty industry.
“One day I was driving in Vancouver and I saw the Aveda Institute, which had just opened,” she said. “It was an ‘ah ha’ moment for me.”
Kari’s mother had raised her to take good care of her skin, and Kari had thought many times in the past about how to turn this passion into a profession.
“I never thought I’d be able to do it, though,” she said. Vancouver and its surrounding communities aren’t home to many beauty schools, she said.
“So when I saw the Aveda campus, I was so excited,” she said. Kari swallowed her fears, her concerns about being an older student - she was 49 when she started classes - and she went for it.
This was two years ago. She completed her program in 11 months, as do all student at the institute. And today she owns Purify Skin Care Studio in Hazel Dell.
Kari’s studio, which readers can learn more about online at purifystudio.com, offers organic, noninvasive facial therapies.
Her website lists: facials, signature facials, mini facials, facial cupping therapy, arctic berry and peptide peel, and facial add-ons.
At Aveda Institute, Kari studied in the esthiology program. An esthetician is someone who has special training in administering facials, aromatherapy, hair and skin care as well as makeup.
“My time at Aveda was a great experience,” Kari said. “The level of professional required of students was impressive. And they really go above and beyond to make sure that we ace our tests.”
Esthiology is one of two programs offered at the world-wide institute’s Vancouver campus, at 615 NE 4th Plain Blvd. The other program offered is cosmetology.
The typical cosmetology program includes hair cutting, color, texture services, nail care, makeup application, business development, retail knowledge and the concept of gaining and retaining clients, according to the school’s website.
“Our students treat their time here like they would a real job, they work with real clients and get that experience, but they receive the educational side of it as well,” said Andrea Young, admissions specialist at the Vancouver campus.
Young, also a Battle Ground resident, worked for many years in the dental industry until she found a home at Aveda Institute.
“It’s such a great opportunity, for local people of all ages to get into the health and beauty industry,” Young said.
Two current students, both recent high school graduates, won prestigious honors at the Professional Beauty Association’s Beacon competition, according to Rebecca Maggiora, director of the Aveda Institute’s Vancouver campus.
Jordyn Baldwin, a 2015 graduate of Brush Prairie’s Hockinson High School, won honorable mention.
While Jacobus Harter-Flynn, a 2015 graduate of Vancouver’s Evergreen High School, was a winner in the competition.
“Students in Beacon are judged 40 percent on their marketing, 40 percent on their resume and 20 percent on their photo shoot images,” Maggiora said.
Aveda Institute helps students in all of these areas, she said. The students learn all they need to know to be successful health and beauty professionals - from the skills set to the marketing end of things.
“They really put an emphasis on continuing education, so I can come back any time as a graduate and take advanced courses; they help us with finding jobs out in the industry, which is really cool because that’s not always easy; and I really do like their products - these are the three reasons I chose to come here,” Baldwin said.
Jacobus got into cosmetology after realizing that his dreams of becoming an actor were not so much about acting as they were about getting ready to act - the hair, the makeup, creating “the look,” he said.
“I like how the place is laid out, how the education has been developed, and the fact that we work on marketing and creating a ‘look book,’” he said. The “look book” is a student-created portfolio of professionally shot photos showing all the styles the student is trained to create.
This is just one aspect of students’ education, Young said. They receive training and book work through an instructor, they take takes and show what they can do in steps, and they work on the floor with clients, who can take advantage of discounted student prices at the Institute.
Clients receive a consultation with the student, and the instructor participates in this to ensure that students understand the client’s wishes and are capable of the services needed. Students provide the services, but an instructor is on the floor and available for assistance at all times, Young said.
Information on Aveda Institute, the Vancouver campus, guest services and more is available online at aveda.edu. To contact the Vancouver campus by phone, call (360) 619-0008.
