By Kaleigh Moore
Born and raised in Liberty, Angel Haney now lives in Winchester and serves as the Director of the Jacksonville campus for Mr. John’s School of Cosmetology. After taking on this new role in January 2015, she feels like she’s finally found the perfect blend of her passion for education and her love of all things fashion, hair, and makeup.
Haney earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Technology and substitute taught before beginning at Mr. John’s. In this new role, she works with students and instructors and does community outreach, during which she visits area high schools to share information about the school’s programs. Her welcome to the new role has been a warm one, and she thoroughly enjoys working alongside the people at Mr. John’s.
“I really enjoy the learning environment here,” she said, “It feels like you’re sitting in your living room—but at the same time, you’re learning and practicing new skills.” The school is the third oldest cosmetology school in the state of Illinois and was the first to offer training for estheticians. Now, with more than 50 years of training students under its belt, Mr. John’s offers many different types of programs—including evening classes, a fast-track course, and a regular certification that takes about 12 months.
What’s unique about the training students get at Mr. John’s is that they are trained in hair care for diverse ethnic groups. “We make sure our students know how to work with all different textures of hair, so that when they get out in the workforce, they know how to work with people from racially diverse backgrounds,” Haney said.
Haney also explained how she is fascinated by all of the new training courses Mr. John’s has brought on board in recent years. Students learn techniques like airbrushed makeup, waxing, spray tanning, facials, and more. “There’s so much variety, and it’s impressive what our students learn here,” she said.
Looking ahead, Haney is excited about reaching out and connecting with new students. With only a few options for cosmetology training in the area, she hopes to bring in new students who may not have even realized there is a local option for training and certification. She also looks forward to the volunteer opportunities that Mr. John’s students offer to the community. They often give free haircuts at community events and find ways to give back on a regular basis.
“We always offer discounted prices on salon services, as this is how our students learn alongside a certified instructor,” Haney said. Stop in the next time you’re in South Jacksonville and see what the school has to offer.
