Salon Success Academies Reaches Out to Local High Schools in 100,000 Ways

May ’10

Continuing a tradition of strong community involvement, Salon Success Academies is working hard to reach out to local high schools in a variety of ways. The beauty school has committed to raising $100,000 for local schools through fundraising projects, by donating school supplies and free salon services, and through participation in school career fairs. All of these projects help Salon Success Academies stay involved in communities throughout the Inland Empire.

Jeff Gross is the High School Outreach Coordinator for Salon Success Academies. It is his job to go to the local high schools and help them connect with the great projects Salon Success offers. He travels between Upland and Fontana, to Redlands and San Bernadino, down to Corona, and anywhere else in the Inland Empire he can help.

“It makes me feel good that I represent an organization that is being so generous and so creative with their outreach program,” says Jeff. “I love going to the high schools and talking with the guidance counselors about how we can help.”

One of the biggest ways that Salon Success Academies helps local high schools is through a unique fundraising project. Often times, schools are looking for ways to help sports teams or extra-curricular clubs raise money for events and supplies. Salon Success Academies provides the club or team with $10 gift certificates, good for services in the salons at any of the five campuses. The club or team can then sell the gift certificates to family and friends, and keep all of the profits.

“We donate these gift certificates to the organization, not asking for anything in return, and the club gets to keep all of the money they raise from selling the vouchers,” explained Jeff. “And our students get to meet with members of the community when they come in to redeem the vouchers.”

Jeff also meets with high school guidance counselors and school nurses to help families who may be struggling financially. He gives the school staff vouchers for free haircuts, and those vouchers are then passed on to families who may not be able to afford the salon services normally. This can help those families look better, and in turn, feel better.

“We love the reactions we get from the counselors and staff at the schools when we offer the free services. They just seem to think that it’s the nicest thing and they really show their appreciation,” says Susan Turner, Executive Vice President of Salon Success Academies. “We really just like helping people whenever we can.”

Aside from donating free salon services, Jeff has the fun job of dropping off boxes of school supplies to high schools and career centers. The Salon Success Academies pencils that he gives away are then used in classrooms by students in Upland, Fontana, Redlands, San Bernadino, Corona, and the rest of the Inland Empire area. The extra school supplies are always welcomed by teachers and students.

Jeff also works to help out at local career days whenever he can. Sometimes it involves talking to students about possible careers in the beauty industry and handing out brochures to potential students. Other times he has helped students with mock interviews. However they can get involved, Salon Success Academies is ready to work with students in the area, helping them find the right career.

High school staff can get in touch with Jeff by email at jgross@gotobeautyschool.com or by calling 1-909-982-7318. He is always ready to help a school with any of the Salon Success Academies outreach programs!

You can find Salon Success Academies on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/salonsuccessacademies

You can follow Salon Success Academies on Twitter here: http://www.twitter.com/SalonSuccess

About Salon Success Academies

Salon Success Academy offers five locations in California’s Inland Empire, in Redlands, Fontana, Upland, San Bernardino, and Corona. Our mission at SSA involves caring for every student as a member of our family, furnishing the chance to finish their educational objectives as affordably as possible. SSA incorporates first-hand, real-world practice of the principles of cosmetology, skin care, and nail artistry. The campus teams with members of the beauty industry to educate our graduates on the technical and customer service skills they need to succeed in their careers.