Photo courtesy of Riverchase Career Connection Center.
A model wears a Quinceañera-themed look during RC3’s Cosmetology and Barbering Hair and Fashion Show on April 30. Third-year seniors served as designers, directing their own creative concepts as the culmination of the school’s three-year cosmetology and barbering program.
What began as classroom instruction and hands-on practice culminated in a runway celebration of creativity, skill and career readiness as students at the Riverchase Career Connection Center (RC3) unveiled their first-ever Cosmetology and Barbering Hair and Fashion Show on Thursday, April 30. The afternoon event marked a milestone for the program, bringing together students, families, faculty and community partners to witness three years of technical training come to life on the runway.
Hosted in the Flex Space at RC3, the showcase highlighted the growing impact of career and technical education (CTE) in preparing students for high-demand, hands-on professions. The runway event featured student-designed hair and fashion looks across multiple themed categories, including Homecoming and Prom, Quinceañera, Modern Day, Deep Blue Sea and Ocean Odyssey, Futuristic, 007: Men’s Formal Wear Suits, and Avant-Garde/High Tech — each reflecting both technical mastery and artistic vision.
According to Cosmetology and Barbering instructor LaNeka Smith, the show was not a one-day effort but the result of a yearlong instructional process embedded in state-aligned curriculum. “Preparation for the show was embedded directly into our curriculum and aligned with the Alabama State Standards for Cosmetology and Barbering,” Smith explained. “Our students have been developing their concepts and bringing their segments to life throughout the entire school year.”
Not only was the show a reflection of student learning during the current school year but also the culmination of the skills they developed throughout the three-year Barbering and Cosmetology program. Third-year senior students served as designers, taking ownership of their creative direction by selecting models — many from within the academy, while others were peers invited from across RC3’s various programs. Throughout the year, students practiced hairstyling techniques, developed fashion concepts, and participated in structured rehearsals that mirrored real-world salon and production environments.
Samantha Giffin, a third-year student in the Barbering and Cosmetology Department, credits the program for building her confidence and helping her build necessary skills for her future even in high school. “I have known for a long time that I wanted to do hair as a career,” Giffin said. “The RC3 program has helped me to gain confidence in my skills and confirmed that cosmetology is really what I want to do.”
The event also stood out for its cross-academy collaboration, a hallmark of RC3’s career-focusedlearning model. Students from Culinary Arts supported event presentation and décor, with Culinary Academy student Bryan Parsons serving as master of ceremonies. Construction Science students contributed structural design elements, including PVC pipe installations used in stage displays. Nursing and Culinary students also joined the runway as models, underscoring the school’s commitment to interdisciplinary learning and teamwork.
Smith emphasized that this collaboration is intentional, designed to reflect industry conditions students will encounter after graduation. “This allowed our students to experience a real-world, cross-industry production environment,” she said.
The event was made possible through the support of community and industry partners, including Great Clips and PNC Bank, whose sponsorship helped elevate the scale and professionalism of the showcase.
Beyond the fashion and creativity, educators say the deeper purpose of the program is workforce development. Short-term goals for the department include expanding student participation in industry-based events and strengthening partnerships with other academies and local stakeholders. Long-term aspirations include expanding advanced certification opportunities, increasing internship pipelines, and further establishing the program as a premier training ground for future cosmetologists and barbers.
Smith also noted the importance of teamwork among instructors in the Barbering and Cosmetology Department, crediting colleagues Kareemah Saadiq and Cassi Leach for their essential roles in preparing students for the event. “We truly operate as a team,” she said, underscoring the collaborative foundation behind student success.
As the final models exited the runway, the event stood as more than a fashion show — it was a demonstration of what career and technical education can achieve when creativity, industry standards and student ownership intersect. For RC3 students, the experience offered not only applause but preparation for futures after high school graduation built on skill, confidence and professional readiness.
