The Cosmetology Department was awarded, for the first time, two $500 City of Norwalk scholarships on March 12.

Alecea Duran and Bryan Griffith, cosmetology majors, both received a $500 scholarship presented by the Cerritos College Foundation on its March board meeting.

Duran graduated and is no longer attending Cerritos College.

Griffith said, “I volunteered time to gain experience. Here at school, we don’t get that many opportunities to get real world experience. I’m going to use the money that I got from the scholarship for additional training and take private classes to cut hair.”

The city of Norwalk granted these two scholarships to thank the department for donating its time, effort and skills at the city of Norwalk Locks of Love hair drive it had in September, 2008.

Pat Novinski, cosmetology instructor and department chair, said, “I think it was fantastic that we got this scholarship, 10 students from Cerritos College cut hair, and we had about 137 clients that day.

“We wanted to be part of the Norwalk Locks of Love because we wanted to promote our department and it is a very good cause. If it does it again next year, we will be involved again, we would take twice as many students.”

The students had to cut and style the donors’ hair at the Locks of Love.

They gained experience and skills while helping the community.

The event started at about 11:30 a.m. and the students left at around 6:30 p.m.

“I learned to step it up,” said, Henry Tang, business major.

Stephanie Munns, cosmetology major, said, “I would do it again, I was surprised with the turn out. I didn’t apply for the scholarship I thought that other people needed it more than I did.”

“It was a great experience. It made me faster and I gained confidence,” Cindy Alvelo, cosmetology and business major, said. “We had so many clients to work for, we had about 15 people each, and they loved their haircuts.”

Novinski said, “It was originally one scholarship but when Gina Cosylion, recreation coordinator for the city of Norwalk, saw all the work we did, she said there will be two scholarships.”

“I take the students out to do community work because it is good for the college and students it makes them better citizens.”