At Tricoci University’s NextGen Beauty Camp in Indianapolis, a group of teenagers gathered to explore the world of beauty and self-expression. The three-day summer camp, which took place from July 21-23, aimed to provide students with a platform to learn about various aspects of the beauty industry, including natural makeup, braids, and special effects makeup.

Embracing Individuality

The camp’s finale, an ‘Electric Neon Disco’ runway show, showcased the students’ creativity and talent. Three teams interpreted the same theme in completely different ways, featuring neon eyeshadow, braided styles, afros, rhinestone-covered hair, and hair tinsel. The event served as a celebration of individuality and self-expression, with students encouraging and supporting one another throughout the process.

According to Angela Howard, Tricoci University’s regional director of admissions and education partnerships, the camp is designed to provide students with a ‘vision casting session’ for careers in cosmetology, esthetics, or nail technology. The program focuses on teaching students the skills and knowledge required to succeed in the beauty industry, including people skills, sanitation, and professionalism.

Recent high school graduate Ayana Wortham, 16, hopes to own a salon one day and believes that the beauty industry has become more inclusive and accepting. ‘I feel like back then there was more of a barrier of what you could and couldn’t do,’ Wortham said. ‘Now we’ve destroyed all barriers. You can do anything, wear your hair any kind of way.’

The camp also opened doors for students like Jamera Williams, 16, who discovered new possibilities and interests. ‘My mind has very much been opened to a bunch of different things during this camp,’ Williams said. ‘I’m very grateful that I got to have this opportunity.’

Original reporting: Mirror Indy — read the source article.