Blog

Photo Shoot Opportunities

What stylist doesn’t want a free photo shoot?

It’s a rare opportunity for a beauty school to offer a professional photographer, as well as an educator to help guide the students to see their creative vision become reality. I respect Gene Juarez Academy for thinking of our future by offering quarterly photo shoots so we can build our portfolios to showcase our work to prospective employers.

The last one, in November, was fun to participate in. I was able to utilize the techniques I’ve learned along the way, and I give GJ big applause for that. I can’t wait for the next one.

Yvey

Yvey with his model

Yvey's creation

Check out more photos of student work!

Posted in GJA Events, Students

Passion

When you put 55 hours of work in the salon per week and find yourself daydreaming on the way home about your guest’s next visit, you’ve found your passion. When people watching turns into analyzing every person’s color and cut, you’ve found your passion. When your educators and your classmates feel more like family than mere pieces to your education, you’ve found your passion. When you goal set and meet each of those goals exactly as you had envisioned them…you know without a doubt, you found your passion.

Christian with guest on our Annual Denim Day fundraiser for Breast Cancer

Posted in Students

Congratulations Fall 2011 Graduates!

The Graduation Ceremonies for the class of Fall 2011 was in a word, magical. It was held at the Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle as it usually is but this time in the evening. I think this gave the event a more formal, classier feel. From the beauty of Benaroya Hall, the presentations on stage, the red carpet walk and the glitz and glam of the students, it was as if we were attending a Hollywood premiere, complete with our very own paparazzi.

Valedictorians Holly Macke (North Campus) and Olena Steblovskaya (South Campus) reminded us how far we’ve come in our journey to become Hairstylists. We were incredibly honored to have Gene Juarez as our Keynote Speaker. His words of wisdom and encouragement were an inspiration. What a thrill to get to hear from the founder himself! The night was a wonderful way to cap off a long thirteen months of beauty school. We looked back on the school year with a fun slide presentation, oh how some of us have changed. Each graduate had the opportunity to have their name read on stage, receive a lovely rose and then walk down the red carpet as everyone looked on. A photographer waited at the end of the carpet to take their picture. The whole experience made each of us feel important and celebrated.

Congratulations to the Award Winners:

Guest Service Awards

North Campus – Rhonda Maynard & Jayme “Charlie” Butenschoen

South Campus -  Sara Klusmeyer & Erin “Sparrow” Novak

Most Inspirational

North Campus – Chamroeum “Cham” Prum & Rachel “Drew” Woods

South Campus – Shawna Craig & Erin “Sparrow” Novak

Gene Juarez Academy Award

North Campus – Amanda Sparks & Kristie “Laker” Corpuz

South Campus – Mariah Cheevers & Amber “Astrid” Doscher

A special thank you to the Educators and Staff for all your hard work throughout school and for cheering us on! We love and appreciate you all!!

Jennifer “Pixie” Payton

Federal Way Campus

Check out photos from the ceremony!

Posted in Seattle Beauty School

Congratulations Summer Graduates!

On August 21st, the summer graduating class of 2011 celebrated a year’s worth of achievements & experiences at their graduation ceremony, which took place at Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle.  Family & friends along with GJA staff cheered the 80+ graduates as they were announced on stage & walked the red carpet!

Valedictorians Michelle “India” Rauch (North Seattle Campus) and Rhianna Guevara (Federal Way Campus) along with Keynote Speaker Janet Denyer, CEO of Gene Juarez Salons & Spas moved us all with their inspiring words.

Congratulations to the recipients of the following special awards:

Guest Service Award:

North Campus graduates Erica Diederichs & Megan “Charlotte” Trudell

South Campus graduates Cheng Saechao & Rhianna Guevara

Most Inspirational Award:

North Campus graduates Luba Pacyga & Sylbi “Lola” Phillips

South Campus graduates Glynn “Lucy” Russell & Woodi Dumpert

Gene Juarez Academy Award:

North Campus graduates Taylor Stone & Jessie “Kris” Zink

South Campus graduates Kaley “Poppy” Velarde & Rhianna Guevara

Your leadership throughout school did not go unnoticed and will inspire future students to follow in your footsteps!

View & download photos on our Gallery page!

Posted in GJA Events

GJA Student lands NW Stylist Cover!

Congratulations to North Campus student Rachael “Drew” Woods for landing the cover of the Northwest Stylist July 2011 issue!

Drew’s cover model look won 1st place in the Spring Academy Artistic competition where student’s work was professionally photographed by Miguel Gaona.

To be selected by Northwest Stylist is a huge honor for a student since they receive many cover submissions every month by  licensed artists with more industry experience.  And it is a huge honor for GJA since it is the second year in a row that a North Campus student has landed a cover on NW Stylist!

Check out more photos from our Academy Artistic competitions!

Posted in GJA Events, Students

Imagine America Outreach Event

This past weekend we went out to the Seattle Convention Center and helped promote Imagine America to attendees of a convention for school counselors.  The Imagine America Foundation offers scholarships to lots of schools, including Gene Juarez!

This was my first outreach event with school and I’m really glad I participated.  We offered dry styling for the convention goers at no charge! Lots of people took advantage of our offer and kept us busy all day.  For the most part we did curls, but we also got to do some flat irons and updos! Lots of our guests told us they were going to sport their styles at a banquet  Monday evening to top off the convention. Awesome!

We met so many interesting people from all over the country.  Most of our guests were people who work in schools helping children of all ages.  It was the last day of the convention so the attendees were pretty tired from the long weekend. They really enjoyed relaxing and getting pampered and it felt great to give that to them!

The convention staff and the representatives from Imagine America were friendly and helpful towards us and really helped make the day a fun and easy experience!

Check out photos from the event!

Posted in GJA Events, Students

My final entry..

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It has been quite a journey. I appreciate all of you who have accompanied me throughout this process. Although I have been M.I.A for a brief period, I have to say that I have enjoyed my time at Gene Juarez Academy

This past year has been the most entertaining yet. The reason why I say that is because I was pursuing my passion. When you find something you’re passionate about, you need to chase it with everything you got. To all the students that are reading this, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Just keep pushing and driving towards it and you will be done in no time.

I suppose the one thing that you guys should start thinking about is a place to work after you’re done. Now that I have been graduated for a few weeks, I have been focusing on state boards, as well as looking for the right place to work. One word of advice is to check out AS MANY SALONS as possible! You never know what you’re missing out on if you don’t check it out. Don’t ever think you’re too good, or too bad for a certain salon. Whichever salon you go to, just make sure you choose according to gut instinct. You can never go wrong with that, if you don’t have a gut feeling, ask yo mama! Because you know moms are always right!

In regards to state boards, Instructor Elena will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know! I will not lie, at first, I was a little scared of her. I’m only saying this because she knows, =). Take the classes, listen to what she says, and do what she tells you to do. When you get to the testing facilities, you will understand what I mean, when you look at some of the other students that show up.

Thank you again for following me on this journey. If you would like to keep up with my randomness, please follow me on my own personal site, www.joebae.com

Posted in Students

Joy spreads in remarkable ways

My client and friend reported to me last night after I had done her foil that she walked into her home and her 3 year old little girl exclaimed ‘Mommy you are a beautiful princess’ – everyone she met exclaimed over the beauty of her hair and how lovely she looked….

Needless to say this is my personal goal with working with hair – we are working to bring this joy into people’s lives regardless if it’s a fashion forward ‘out there’ design, a mother or a 60 year old woman who may only leave her home and socialize while she’s at the salon.

If we invest in them, their joy – it will return to us.

Posted in Students

Featured Student Artist – Britta

I had always looked at obtaining Featured Student Artist as something that would be obtainable for myself.  Well, it came to the middle of February and I looked at my log of guests and product sales.  I was over half way there!  To obtain FSA, you must have 20 request guests and 10 product sales.

I’ve obtained several Guest Education Awards before, but not the combination that creates FSA.  By the way, I like the fact that our award says “Guest Education” instead of “Product Sales” because it does reflect the fact that you have educated your guest in such a way that they understand enough to buy the product you have just used on them and educated them about.

I decided, after looking at my numbers mid-February, that FSA was going to happen.  To make sure that I had enough to account for the cancellations that just might happen (and did happen) between then and the end of the month, I made some phone calls and got guests in.  This was great practice for when I graduate and will be in the Salon, needing to create my own business.

I was presented my FSA award in early March.  My picture and career in cosmetology philosophy statements are posted in the lobby, I received a Gene Juarez gift card, my profile will be posted on the GJA web site and I can add it to my portfolio and resume.

Keep your records current, make sure you get everything signed off in your MOD book and make a plan.  How will you make FSA?

Posted in Students

Graduation Preparation

As I near the end of school, I must apologize for not keeping up to date with the blog.

It has been quite a journey since my first post. I feel like I have definitely grown as a person, hair stylist, and student. There are many things that I have taken from this program for a beauty occupation in Seattle.
How to be diligent with time. How to go out and get my own clientele. How to listen to a guests wants and put that into action by cutting/coloring what they request. How to sell product. How to clean Aerogel off of my glasses. How to generate request guests.
All of these things happened over the course of the last 1500 hours.
Now that I am in my final 100 hours, I am excited but nervous at the same time.

A few suggestions:
- Finish your requirements as soon as possible. Some students may say spread it out so that you’re not just standing around waiting for your next guest to come in. I say finish it all as soon as you have the time. That way you can try out new color or hair cutting techniques. There is always something you can learn.

- Extern at as many places as you can. That way, you have an idea as to what some other salons might be like. Weather it be Gene Juarez, or another salon. Try it out so that you don’t ever look back and say,”I wonder what it would be like if I as there?”

- Fast track whenever available!

- Enjoy every moment of school, because you will look back and it’ll have flown by.

Thanks for listening!

Tags: Gene Juarez Salon
Posted in Salon Training