Kym Jackson is new to her job, and it’s a big one. For years the Cosmetology and Wellness Department at Skyline College lacked a full-time leader and a consistent location. Many coordinators came and went, all daunted by the sheer scope of the department: a full-time cosmetology program, part-time esthetics and massage therapy, fashion merchandising and a number of online and weekend wellness classes. But instead of being intimidated by the size and structure of the program, Kym is excited by the opportunity to grow it into something wonderful. “I am here to motivate, inspire and encourage those around me,” she says, including staff and students alike.

Engaged and inspiring, Kym has major plans for the department. Within three months of stepping into her role as Coordinator, she has launched two new courses for Spring 2014, revamped the spa with paint and fixtures, launched a marketing campaign and invited the Fashion Merchandising program to join the Cosmetology department in Building 4.

Some of her plans for the future include bringing in product and education from skincare company Dermalogica, reviving the manicuring program, and eventually establishing a barbering program at Skyline College. In spring 2014, professionals and students alike can enroll in the Spa Technician Training class (COSM 785) or Advanced Esthetics Training (COSM 786) to learn additional skills like body wraps and scrubs, microdermabrasion, chemical and enzyme peels and body bronzing. “The combination of these two skills sets,” Kym says, “is to better equip the spa practitioner to compete in the industry.” Once students are well educated, there is no limit to the services they can offer. Through a number of outreach events and social media promotions, Kym aims to fill every available styling station, massage table and facial bed.

After earning both a Bachelor and Master of Science degree in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University, Kym feels ready to help the Skyline College Cosmetology Spa and Wellness department reach its full potential. She has worked as an esthetician, massage therapist, cosmetology instructor, salon and spa owner, international trainer and director of education, making her well prepared to wear the many hats of Coordinator. Kym has cultivated professional relationships with Paul Mitchell, Avlon, Milstan Thermal Products, Pivot Point, Dermalogica and American International and intends to build a strong retail presence to enhance the services offered at Skyline College Salon & Spa/Wellness.

Cosmetology students are available on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for hair and nail services including haircuts, color, perming or straightening and manicures. Esthetics and massage therapy students perform facial treatments, waxing and massages on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. All Skyline College students, faculty and staff receive a 20% discount on their services and are welcome anytime!

Kym Jackson has set the bar high for Skyline College Salon & Spa/Wellness to offer excellent services, client care and value to every person who walks through the door. “I want to revitalize services and regain the confidence of our clients,” she says. Call the appointment desk at 650-738-4165 to indulge your need for beauty, wellness and relaxation.

Article by Lynsey Hemstreet, Photos by Carmen Richardson.

The Ceramics Club held its third Empty Bowls Fundraiser on November 6, 2013, in the Skyline College Dining Hall. The event was well attended, with 145 tickets sold! Attendees chose from a collection of ceramic bowls, each of which were hand-made by Skyline College and Capuchino High School ceramics students. Student volunteers filled the bowls with a variety of delicious soups prepared by Pacific Dining, and attendees enjoyed drinks that were donated by Pepsi.

Diners were entertained during their meal by a rich array of performers, starting off with Professor Zachary

Bruno’s students the Skyline College Jazz Quintet; with Nathaniel Welch on drums, Matt Henderson on guitar, Steve Mayeda on bass, and Andrew Fenn on saxophone. Then several of Professor Jude Navari’s Intermediate Voice students, Kevin Valera, Isabela Florez, Angel Yaeger, Preston Sturtevant, and Jamie Weinstock sang captivating music from the Great American Song Book. For the performance finale, there was a rhythmic improvisational dance by the Al-Hambra Tribal Dance Troupe whose members include Academic Senate President Leigh Anne Shaw, Mallory Nomura-Saul, Louisa Ip, and Tasha Hudick. The night was ended with drawings for ceramic artwork donated by the Ceramics Club members, raising more funds for the night.

The event was a great success, raising $2,504 for the Skyline College SparkPoint Center. Adolfo Leiva shared highlights during the dinner about the great work that the center does. The SparkPoint Center provides critical services to our students and community members such as financial counseling, a food pantry, tax services, and more.

A big thanks to the Skyline Organization and Club Council (SOCC) for providing funds for advertising, and for the soup.

Article by Ceramics Club Faculty Advisor Tiffany Schmierer, Photos by Lea Naqishbendi and Tiffany Schmierer.

On the weekend of November 9-10, faculty members of Rock The School Bells (RTSB) and Center for Innovative Practices through Hip Hop Education and Research (CIPHER) of Skyline College were in attendance for the 3rd Annual Hip Hop Think Tank at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, NY. The RSTB and CIPHER team were comprised of counselors, professors, and staff members from Skyline College, American River College, Sacramento City College, and CSU-Sacramento.

The theme of this year’s Hip Hop Think Tank was titled: Legacy Building! Cultivating A Global Cipher from the Streets to the Classrooms. Nate Nevado and Nathan Jones presented on Rock The School Bells, our work with CIPHER, and Hip Hop pedagogies utilized in our classrooms. Through our presentation, we were able to meet amazing and dynamic individuals who are doing similar work within the field of Hip Hop education. Some workshops and presentations to note include: “Therapeutic and Educational Implications of Beatmaking in the School and Community Settings”(Oakland, CA), “Digital Linoleum: Empowering Youth through Hip Hop Digital Publishing” (Stanford University), and “Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity (Oakland, CA).”

With this additional knowledge and best practices, we plan on developing a West Coast Hip Hop Educational Think Tank to continue the dialogue in integrating Hip Hop pedagogies in higher institutions. We also plan to create an educational workshop strand for educators, teachers, and counselors for our upcoming Rock The School Bells Hip Hop Conference on March 1, 2014.

In his presentation titled, “Youth Culture and Educational Engagement: Bridging the Divide to Close the Gap,” Dr. Pedro Noguera posed the question, “How are institutions of higher education contributing and shaping the field of Hip Hop education?” Through the generous funding of the President’s Innovation Fund and the support from Skyline College’s faculty and administration, we can begin to contribute to this field of cultural relevancy through Hip Hop. Education.

For more information on Rock The School Bells and/or CIPHER, please contact Nate Nevado at nevadon@smccd.edu or check our websites at www.rocktheschoolbells.com and www.skylinecollege.edu/cipher.

Article submitted by Nate Nevado, Photos by Melanie Espinueva, Nathan Jones, & Nate Nevado.

Many of you submit material to be included in Skyline Shines.  Thanks so much for taking to time to help me keep the college informed. Here are a few guidelines that will facilitate the publication of Skyline Shines each week:

Send submission to skylineshines@smccd.edu

• Submit your article by 2:00 p.m. on Thursdays; articles received after this time will appear in the following week¹s issue.
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• Please submit photos that are less than 1mb in size.
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• Please make sure to indicate who wrote the article and who took the photos. We like to give writer and photographer credits.
• Use the following commonly accepted abbreviations:  a.m. or p.m. (i.e.  The event will be held from 8:00 a.m.-­1:30 p.m. The workshop is scheduled to run from 9:30 a.m.-Noon.)
• Spell out numbers of one or two words.  Use figures for numbers that require more than two words to spell out. (i.e., Almost eight years ago I began taking ceramics courses. And I counted 176 records on the shelf).
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One way to submit it is through our general e-Suggestion Box, via the hyperlink in the box below http://skylinecollege.edu/publicinformationoffice/feedback.php

For state level information on community colleges, see these websites:

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The Community College League of California: http://www.ccleague.org/

The Research and Planning Group: http://www.rpgroup.org/

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