Aspiring cosmetologists at Worcester Technical High School are using their skills to do some meaningful work.
Look Good Feel Better, a program through the American Cancer Society, teaches beauty techniques to cancer patients.
"It's very rewarding for both the students and for me and for the clients that come," said Arlene Thompson, head of Worcester Tech's cosmetology department.
Thompson has been instrumental in not only training the student volunteers but opening a wig bank inside the school for cancer patients in the Worcester area.
"They actually make these bonds and these connections," Thompson said. "We've had students out there crying with the clients. We've had them making the clients laugh."
Along the way, students learn professionalism and the importance of establishing relationships.
"Connecting with clients and being their friend is really fun," said Kailey Anne, a sophomore.
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"I think she's going to be wonderful when she gets out there and does what she wants to do in this world," Ann Pugliese, a breast and ovarian cancer patient, said of Kailey.
Students also get an important lesson in using their talents to give back.
"If I can give them something they can carry on and make themselves feel so much better on the outside and inside, then it's amazing," said Natalie Rivas, a senior.
Worcester Tech students participate in Look Good Feel Better twice a year. For more information about volunteering and how to find American Cancer Society programs in your area, click here.
