College here in Mankato, one was the Globe University School of Business, and one was the Art Institutes International Minnesota.” Lewis talked with representatives from all three schools and set up appointments to meet with them. “I figured I would go to the school of business, but after meeting with all of them, I completely changed my mind,” Lewis said. The research Lewis conducted convinced her that Art Institutes International was the right choice for her. The school offers a design management program that Lewis feels is custom made for her. “It takes sales and marketing, business, and management, and combines it with the art and designing that I love so much,” Lewis said. Art Institutes International also offers housing and student employment, two more pluses for Lewis. As for what she’ll do when she finishes her degree, Lewis isn’t worried. “I don’t have a specific kind of job in mind at the moment; I’m more interested in learning and having fun while I’m at it. After all, there will always be job openings in sales, and that’s good enough for me. I’m looking forward to learning new artistic methods, managerial skills, and sales techniques. I’m also looking forward to meeting the people there. I know I’ll make a lot of new friends,” Lewis said. Also heading up to the Twin Cities at the end of this summer are fellow Mankato East graduates Ashtyn Church and Breanna Loken. Church and Loken will both be attending Aveda Institute in Minneapolis, a cosmetology training school. Although the two girls are friends, they didn’t know that the other was planning to attend Aveda at the same time. Church said, “Breanna and I are signed up for the same classes this fall and it will be helpful knowing someone already.” Church has always had an interest in cosmetology, an interest that her mother Shellie noticed years ago. “Ashtyn has always styled and fixed my hair and her sister’s. Cosmetology is something Ashtyn has been interested in for a long time and I think she has picked a career that she will enjoy and certainly be good at,” Shellie Church said. Ashtyn is looking forward to living in an apartment in Minneapolis and going to
school. Her eventual goal is to work at an Aveda salon while getting a business degree so that one day she’ll be able to own her own salon. Fellow Avedabound student Breanna Loken is excited about being able to do something she loves. “Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to play with e v e r y b o d y ’s hair,” Loken said. “I love art, and cosmetology is like an art to me.” As a teenager, she’s been doing her friends’ hair for events such as senior Pat Christman pictures, prom, Ashtyn Church will attend the Aveda Institute this fall. The Mankato interviews and East graduate said she’s always had an interest in cosmetology and parties. Loken hopes to one day own a salon. will be living in post-graduation options are a primary an apartment with fellow Aveda students and one topic. Krause said, “The district also has a student from the University of Minnesota. She’s looking forward to meeting new program called Naviance. This is a very people from other schools in the same area hands-on program for students to use to research colleges, take interest inventories, as the Aveda Institute. Loken is also interested in photography develop goals, set up a task sheet and and would some day like to combine her request transcripts.” Naviance’s “Do What You Are” program two interests of cosmetology and has helped students in grades 7 through 12 photography into a business of her own. “Aveda is a top-rated school so I’m develop career-interest inventories. The excited to learn all the latest and greatest district also hosts visits from various in cosmetology,” Loken said. “Overall, I’m branches of the military as well as college just excited to learn the best way to do recruiters, usually during lunchtime, to meet with interested students. The what I love and be successful!” Mankato Area School District guidance guidance counseling offices also offer counselors Heather Krause and Melodee resources such as computers where Hoffner say that high school students in students can do research, as well as the district have many resources available promotional college literature, and ACT/ to them as they try and decide how they SAT/PSAT prep books, which can be want their life after high school to look. checked out through the secretary. Hoffner The counselors make visits to the said the district also hosts a career expo classrooms throughout the school year and for all 10th-grade students. M MANKATO MAGAZINE • August 2012 • 39