A Deep Dive: Why Can Sophomores no Longer Take Cosmetology?

Amy Greene, 11th grade, doing hair on a mannequin for Cosmetology. Photo Credits: Elle Jones.

Elle Jones, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn

Have you ever wanted a career in hair and nails? Cosmetology is one of the many unique programs and pathways at Watauga High School that allows students to get their state license and join the workforce directly after graduation. 

In May 2026, there were questions about if the Cosmetology program at Watauga High School would continue because the main full time Cosmetology teacher resigned. Through the long search to find replacement teachers for the Cosmetology program, they were only successful at filling one position. This meant that no sophomores could register for the classes for the 2026/27 school year.

“There just isn’t enough time in the day for 10th graders to have an opportunity. In the past we’ve had two Cosmetology teachers and that is what has made all the difference,” said Mr. Dan Crail, a school counselor at Watauga. “There’s a certain number requirement that students have to have in order to be able to sit for the test.”

Without students having the correct amount of hours they are not eligible to take the test, and the most efficient way to get those hours is to complete the program through the high school. If they have to wait until college it will take longer to complete and it will be more complicated.

“I have to pay for it now, but through the high school it’s free and it can be expensive,” said Mia Marsh, a sophomore who wanted to do Cosmetology. “If they open it back up, I could finish through Caldwell but that would entail me having to drive to Hudson everyday, and that's an hour and a half away from my house.”

Marsh is not the only one. These issues are affecting every sophomore who wanted to do Cosmetology.

“Not getting into Cosmetology is hard because ever since I was young I wanted to do it,” said Elizabeth Cook. “It would be a lot more efficient to do it through the high school.”

Cook is another example of an impacted 10th grader, held back from her passion. Cosmetology is a popular class and profession with many young women like Cook. This high interest is the reason why two teachers are needed to accommodate all the students.

“We tried to find a second teacher all year last year, but we couldn't find one,” said Dr. Tierra Stark, Director of Accountability, Federal Programs, CTE and School Safety. “We interviewed for weeks and weeks. We reached out, and it ended up where three days before school started we finally found someone, but it was only one.”

The Cosmetology program at Watauga High School does not have enough staff for Cosmetology to easily continue. Watauga is one of the few high schools left in North Carolina that offers these types of trade programs, but it is getting more and more difficult to find staffing because of the shortage of people with a Cosmetology license as well as a teaching license. 

“The Department of Public Instruction is also changing the curriculum for Cosmetology, which is making it increasingly difficult for us to offer it, so we knew we wanted to finish the students who had already started,” said Stark. 

With the Department of Public Instruction changing their curriculum, it’s making staffing even harder than it already was. Every school system has to work with DPI, so there is no way to work directly around their rules and regulations.

“We met with a couple of community colleges this summer to see if there a way we could have a Caldwell professor and a Watauga teacher,” said Dr. Scott Strickler, the Principal of Watauga High School. “Maybe there could be something where students can start at Watauga High School and then finish with Caldwell Community College.”

Although there is not a definite answer for what these sophomores should do, there might be possible Caldwell partnership in the near future. If this partnership did happen, then it would allow these students to still do most of Cosmetology licensing through high school and they wouldn’t be setback as much. 

“My suggestion, because there’s a lot of health, safety, and sanitation in Cosmetology, is to take a health science class. It doesn’t mean that it would get them ahead in the program or it would count for anything in Cosmetology specifically. But if they can move quicker through the health and sanitation portion of Cosmetology class, they’ll get on the floor quicker,” said Stark. “It’s not a perfect fix, but if they are really interested, that's what I would do.”

At the moment, there is nothing that 10th graders can really do to take Cosmetology, but if they are truly interested then taking a health science or business class would be a good direction to take. Watauga High School is known for their opportunities, and though this might not be ideal for these students, they still have the ability to take advantage of one of these classes that will set them up for success. 

“This is the time to explore, and we want everyone to have the options and we want you to be able to get something out of high school that you can immediately go to work with or you can build on top of it in some type of college setting,” said Strickler. “But explore right now.”