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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

Tracey Minor has been the foundation of the LeCroy Career Technical Center cosmetology department for several years.

This year will be her last as instructor for the program as she has announced her retirement will be effective June 22.

Her desire for retirement is to spend more time with her family.

“I am leaving one family and going to another,” Minors said of retiring after 25 years at LCTC. “I really, really enjoyed my teaching years.”

Cosmetology has been predominately classes of female students over the years, and Minor said the students are like her daughters.

“She has a solid skill set, a love for her craft and compassion for students,” LCTC director Dr. Shannon Walker said. “All these are traits that we hope to find in the next cosmetology instructor.”

The school is a special place for Minor because she was also a student in the program.

Her instructor encouraged her to get her instructor’s license.

“That is one of the best things I ever did,” Minor said.

She started as a substitute instructor at LCTC while assistant manager at Head Start Hair Care in Clanton.

After 11 years, Minor was hired for the full-time instructor position.

“I love seeing the kids when I am teaching them, seeing them learn how to do something new, the new trends that have come over all the years,” Minor said.

Several of her former students have found jobs in their field in Chilton County. Minor said it is “amazing to me to see them out their working” with a similar love and passion that she has.

Minor has always enjoyed doing hair, starting with styling and cutting on the Barbie styling heads.

Her grandmother especially liked having Minor do her hair, even serving as her model when Minor did her state board certification exam.

“She was patient enough to sit there for six hours,” Minor said.

As a child, she wanted to work in a salon or be a kindergarten teacher.  These interests merged in her final career path.

Curls and big hairstyles were really popular when Minor started in the industry.

“Over the years, more of the full length has gotten in style more of the highlights, the lowlights, the wide and crazy colors, the more flat look has come in,” Minor said.

However, “A lot of the ethic hair is going back to the natural curl, instead of using the chemical relaxers, a lot of that is coming back in style,” she said.

More varieties in haircuts for both men and women have become popular.

Students often request being able to learn a new style that they have seen on TV or trending on social media. Minor said social media has also become a new tool for teaching these styles.

Equipment that LeCroy has also changed over the years.

“As times have changed, we have tried to modernize more and more,” Minor said.

The register that the class salon uses for customers is very similar to what a professional salon would use, giving students experience on the business end also.

While the classes have a lot of fun, there are challenges that come with the profession. Minor said it is important for students to find a salon that is a good fit for them.

To find the right fit and have opportunities to do exactly what they want, she encourages students to not just look at salons in Chilton County. She also encourages students to continue their education and get their instructors license — just like her cosmetology instructor had encouraged her to do.