Empire Strikes Back

THE EVENT: Empire Education’s 8th Annual Future Professionals Expo in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

THE DETAILS: Designed to jumpstart beauty professionals’ careers with an infusion of energy, education and enthusiasm, Empire Education Groups’ Future Professional Expo featured a trade show, expo and competition. Students from Empire’s 109 schools in 22 states competed for cash, prizes and advanced education. They also attended advanced education classes, and networked with fellow students, educators and industry leaders.

Judges: Sexy Hair founder and educator Michael O’Rourke, MODERN’s Lauren Salapatek, Sexy Hair’s Rafe Hardy.

BEAUTY POLITICS: “Your education is just as important as a Harvard education, because you, as beauty professionals, are critical to helping other people feel good about themselves,” says Frank Schoeneman, chairman and CEO of Empire Education Group, who for more than 20 years has urged beauty professionals to become politically active.

THE WINNERS: Six months of competitions on the local school level culminated with the finals and awarding prizes.

Long Hair Evening Design: Danielle DeVita, Florence, Kentucky
Red Carpet Experience Photo Competition: Joyce Whitley, Dunwoody, Georgia
Men’s Marketable Salon Cut: Amado Velazquez, Speedway, Indiana
Make-up Artistry: Huda Quhshi, Queens, New York
Nail Artistry: Teanna Licorish, Concord, North Carolina
Female Trend Cut and Style: Kyla Hall, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Artistic Braided Design: Aubrianna McCain, Morrow, Georgia
Educator of the Year: Julie Jenkins, Kennesaw, Georgia
Future Professional of the Year: Keira Pasquarella, Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania

MASTER APPRENTICE: Sasha Brown of Boston captured the title of the first Master Apprentice. Brown won a one-year apprenticeship with celebrity stylist and Masters of Beauty advanced education headliner Nick Arrojo at Arrojo Studio in New York City and $10,000 in living expenses.

SOUND BITES: “When you stay focused on your success, the magic is waiting in a career in which you can have fun, be creative and follow your passion,” says celebrity stylist, salon owner and Masters of Beauty headliner Nick Arrojo to 2,000 cheering future beauty professionals.

THE NEXT EVENT: The 9th Future Professionals Expo is scheduled for June 23-24, 2013. Visit futureproexpo.com.

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