Arlington staff and students in their new blood bank T-shirts. Photo: E. Beggs.

Texas Campus Makes a Difference - in a Big Way

We're constantly reminded of just how much passion Regency people have for helping others. Look at Arlington, TX, where students and staff sprang into action when they heard about 2-year-old Alaina Jones and her family.

Alaina Jones

Doctors diagnosed Alaina with leukemia, and her mother ChristaCarol Jones told a friend on the Arlington faculty. The discovery came a day after the birth of Alaina's brother Anderson. "The young parents were juggling bringing new life into the world and caring for a child with many new and serious obstacles - not to mention the high costs of health care," said Carol Beggs, Arlington campus manager.

In the next weeks, Alaina underwent surgery, spinal taps, bone marrow tests, steroid treatments and several blood transfusions. She will continue chemotherapy for two and a half years. "Our world will never be the same," ChristaCarol Jones said.

But into their world poured support from people like Arlington staff and students. Three weeks after Alaina came home from the hospital, the campus hosted a drive to collect blood donations. Carter BloodCare, Texas' largest community blood bank, sent a bloodmobile and crew to draw blood.

For each donation given in Alaina's name, Carter BloodCare provided her family with credit toward paying for critically needed transfusions. The blood itself went to other needy patients with blood types that matched those of the donors.

On the first day, a Texas heat wave hit triple digits and kept going. "The blood crew was here half a day and had to leave due to the heat," Carol Beggs said. "But because of the constant flow of willing donors, they came back the next day." By the end of the second day Arlington students, friends, family members and guests had given 31 pints of blood. "They couldn't take our blood fast enough," Carol said. "We had a constant line of people waiting to give."

The blood bank credits will help cover costs of Alaina's ongoing transfusions. And the blood itself will help sustain life for nearly 100 more patients.

"It felt so good to be able to give back in this way," Carol said. "The Carter BloodCare crew said they had never seen such ambition and commitment to a cause. Of course, we invited the crew to come back and receive services from our students."

Arlington staff and students "were just stunning. They really, really did a good job," said Marty Stone, Carter BloodCare donor recruiter. "We do 25 to 40 blood drives a day, and we get pretty used to people being kind enough to donate blood. But the enthusiasm of the Regency people went way beyond."

Home from her hospital ordeal, Alaina began showing signs of her old self. "She played Barbies and started role-playing with the dolls again in her little make-believe voice," her mother ChristaCarol said. "It's been a long time since I've witnessed that!

Alaina, right, with her big sister Averie.   Photos: ChristaCarol Jones.

"Physically, she is getting around much better - to the point she was doing somersaults on the couch and nearly falling off today. Good grief."

But the best news came when tests showed Alaina to be cancer-free. She is still considered at high risk for cancer, and will continue treatment.

"We are so grateful and blessed to have so many people on Alaina's side during her fight against cancer," her mother said.

One of Regency's nine guiding principles reminds staff and students to "make a difference in someone's life." And in this case, the Arlington team made a difference in 100 lives.

To learn about Alaina's progress or to donate to her family, visit christacarol.blogspot.com.

Student Jaclyn Adams (left) of Rockford, IL earned second place in this year's Junior Style Stars competition. Jenna King and her team drew upon David Spade's mullet-header film role in "Joe Dirt" for a wig competition in Joliet, IL (right).

Get Your Head in the Game

They don't say much. They're ready to go along with your every wish. And they are there to support you at every step of your beauty education and throughout your career.

 

So make friends with your mannequins. Every Regency student receives five to learn on and practice with. And after graduation, your mani buddies will keep helping you develop your style and technique.

 

Often, living guests will have their own ideas about how they want to look. But your mannequins are happy to let you stretch out with your wildest inspiration.

 

"After so many years in this industry, I have never stopped using mannequins. In the beginning, it was a safe way to learn new trends," says Linda Schoenberg, Regency technical director.

 

"Then the mannequin became a trusted friend - not only to elevate my creativity, but when I need to relax my mind or relieve stress I will often grab a mani and start to foil, cut and style," Linda says.

 

"You're never done with mannequins," says Anastasia Andonopoulos, a graduate of Regency's campus in Pasadena, TX. Anastasia now manages a Fantastic Sams salon where she and her staff use manis to hone new looks, or "to practice when we have spare time ... just to brush up on our skills," she says.

 

Look how their mannequin pals help Regency students and staff build skills and unleash imagination:

	Student Jasmine Smith of Charlotte, NC found shear inspiration for her mannequin's updo.
Joilet, IL student Shanta Tate's entry in the Mannequin Mania contest, hosted by Matrix, featured a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
	"A beautiful example of creative braiding by Trisha Travers," says Tracy Tidd, campus manager in Grand Rapids, MI. "Trisha has a passion for showing her creativity with hair extensions and braiding, and would like to specialize in that area."
Students in Carrollwood, FL show off their updos. Back, from left: Lisa Denson, Abragail Berling, Jaye Aardema. Front, from left: Katie Garlish, LaTia Hill.

Starting School: the Sooner, the Better

Deciding when to start school can be tough, especially as the year starts to wind down. You might be thinking, "I want to enjoy the holidays, and then I'll start school." Plenty of people do, and that's why our January classes fill up fast.

Here are some reasons you might want to beat the new-year rush: 

• Time slips away. We often talk to students who say they postponed school "for a little while." The next thing they knew, life took over. They got focused on family and bills and responsibilities - and they put their dreams on hold, sometimes for years. Remember, there will always be issues such as work schedules or childcare to deal with when you start school. That's just part of starting school.

• Because classes starting near year-end often don't fill up as fast as in January, you have a better chance for a smaller class and more personal attention. A smaller class can also mean more time working on guests to get the practice you need to succeed.

• The sooner you start, the sooner you graduate – you'll get out into the job market that much earlier. Since fewer people will have started school at the same time you did, there's a good chance you'll have less competition for a job when you graduate.

When you're ready to make that commitment and take care of whatever issues might stand in your way, it's the right time to start school. Your future isn't going to wait, so why should you? As Abraham Lincoln said: "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle."