Curly hair, Hipple cares

Laura Hipple has always enjoyed doing hair.

That’s why she’s pursuing a degree in cosmetology.

“I feel like I always liked to do other peoples’ hair,” she said. “(I like to) help people feel better about themselves.”

Hipple, a recent graduate from Fort Recovery High School, plans to attend Amber’s Beauty School in Muncie for a year-long program. She’ll go through about 1,500 hours of training before receiving her license.

Throughout her high school career, she was actively involved in multiple clubs, including choir, several high school drama club productions and as a dive team member her junior and senior years. She also started a part-time job her sophomore year at Ambassador Pool, and balances her time this year between working for the pool and at Gels IGA grocery store of St. Henry, Ohio.

She chose Amber’s because she heard positive reviews, as well as for its proximity and affordability. It was also one of the only beauty schools she was able to visit in person because of coronavirus restrictions, with most other opting for virtual tours.

“Being able to be there and see how everything worked helped a lot,” she said.

Hipple would like to learn more about nail and skin care. She also hopes to specialize in curly hair in order to understand how to better handle it, both for her own hair management and for future clients.

“I personally have curly hair, and I don’t know what I’m doing with it,” she admitted. “It would be nice to know more about that and help people who also have curly hair and just don’t really know how to treat it and get it to its full potential.”

In middle school, she enjoyed braiding her own hair as well as friends’ and classmates’ hair, and she braided hair for others while working at the pool. She has also cut and styled some of her family members’ hair, taking tips from YouTube videos and other online tutorials.

And while she doesn’t have a lot of other experience in the field yet, Hipple said she’s ready to learn.