Senior Hannah Mehis-Moriarty got the prize for the best Day of the Dead mannequin in the afternoon class at the CATE Center.

According to National Geographic, Day of the Dead “demonstrates love and respect for deceased family members. In towns throughout Latin America, revelers don funky makeup and costumes, hold parades and remember lost loved ones.”

PHS students in the cosmetology program at the CATE Center competed in their own Day of the Dead event.

“This is the third year we hosted this contest,” cosmetology teacher Tommi Bullard said. “We start each year with hair cutting, so their mannequin’s hair gets shorter and shorter. It was like, ‘what do we do with the mannequins now?’

So we time it so we can do this for Day of the Dead, and it gives the mannequins more life and they don’t go to waste.”

According to Bullard, the contest is designed to showcase their creativity.

“This really shows the artistic side of the work we do,” said one of this year’s contest winners, senior Jobana Molina. “It’s a fun change of pace and something we can’t always do in the salon because people don’t usually come in asking for this look.”

Jobana, who said she enrolled in the cosmetology program following a tour of the facility, now believes this is her passion.

“I decided this was the program for me because I wanted to do something I love,” said Jobana, who won a conditioning mask and a blender for makeup application for her Day of the Dead creation.

Senior Hannah Mehis-Moriarty got the prize for the best Day of the Dead mannequin in the afternoon class at the CATE Center. She also won a conditioning mask, as well as makeup wipes.

“I joined cosmetology because I’m passionate about beauty and want to use my skills to help people to feel confident and beautiful,” Hannah said.

Hannah used her love for sparkles as inspiration for her Day of the Dead mannequin.

“I sometimes like a crazy, extreme look,” she said. “I wanted to be a little different from everyone else.”

By Jean Ann Collins • Contributing Writer • [email protected]

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