By CAROL HEARD

BC Communications Specialist

Sixteen students from Bainbridge College’s cosmetology program received their diplomas on Thursday, Dec. 15, becoming the first class of students to graduate from the 58-semester-hour program.

The students, who are now poised to take the state board exam, were required to pass coursework and participate in hands-on skills such as permanent hair waving and relaxing, haircutting, hair coloring, manicuring and pedicuring, and salon management.

The students who received diplomas from the BC cosmetology program were Shanterrian Daniels, Tiffany Edwards, Jessica Freeman, Denisha Lewis, Isaac Manuel, Nikki McCants, Camellia Millard, Sierra Pearson, Nikki Reynolds, Ashley Worek and Timeka Wright, all from Bainbridge; Corey Williams, from Miller County, Ga.; Gwendolyn Early and Yolanda George, both from Colquitt, Ga.; Jamie Gordon from Whigham, Ga., and Natalie Morris from Cairo, Ga.

Sara Kimmel, the instructor of cosmetology and the emcee of the graduation ceremony held at the Kirbo Center, said the students were excited about their chosen career path and were learning to do what they needed to become the best they could be.

“My hope is that you will take everything you have learned in school — whether it is the steps of a retouch relaxer, the theory that color on top of color makes color darker, or simply that everyone in life gets more than one shot — and live it,” she said.

George, who has a certificate from BC in early childhood education, wanted to pursue a cosmetology certification so she could have something to fall back on because of the tight job market and to earn more money in the future by working with children during the morning hours and styling hair in the evenings.

She said it was a great feeling being from the first graduating class from the college’s cosmetology program.