Did you ever have that one doll sitting in the back of your closet, with chopped-up hair, makeshift clothes, and your mother’s smeared lipstick? The toy that at a glance may have looked like a freak accident but to the creators of such dolls it presented itself as a unique beautiful mess that we could say proudly present to others as a testament to our skills. A reflection of our imagination and individuality even if in an outlandish and chaotic attestation. For many little girls, it was a shared dream of being fashion designers, models, and hair stylists, all enticed by the word we call “beauty.” A way of expressing our creativity ourselves and others in a physically manifested way. A way of connecting to the girlhood of the women around us and the women of our ancestry,  who developed beauty into the culture and present of now. These unlikely futures were seen as a way of connecting to family and friends around us when we played dress up or begged our mothers to buy us mini makeup kits. But for many girls as maturity and interest change these careers become improbable dreams made only to sit in the adolescent mind of fantasy

       However, for 15-year-old sophomore Lacey Jett, this dream could be a future reality. Ever since Jett was young she was entranced by the world of cosmetology just like many girls her age and had a strong persistence to do her own hair and to dress herself for as long as she can remember. And as she began to get older finding joy and pride in helping her loved ones and friends with makeup and hair. This is where she believes she was inspired to assist many others in the same manner and where a blossoming idea for the future appeared. Jett states that,  “Some people just don’t know how to do that stuff, and I want to be able to help them do that.”

      Jett moved her from Plainfield, Indiana a suburban city outside of the capital Indianapolis with a population of 36,000. With her move to Paducah last June, Jett says her most immense help has been her friends and family who have done their best to help her fit into a new school and to help her enjoy her time here.  Jett moved her with her stepmom and father knowing very little about the area and having to adapt to a new environment still missing her own home. Jett quotes, “Before we moved I was spending almost every day at my old friend’s house’s  just being scared to leave…and of course I miss them. ”  When she first arrived here she went on walks trying to find comfort in knowing the area and hoping to connect to other people in the city. Jett now expresses how she had been welcomed into McCracken and was lucky to find comfort in new friends and old interests, such as considering joining the drama club and participating in the plays, and joining the school newspaper to embrace her love of writing. Jett shows that even though change has been hard finding reassurance in the things you love and embracing change can help you move forward. 

      When talking about Jett’s inspirations it is not hard to see that they intensely revolve around her loved ones, including the person who inspires her to pursue a realm of beauty. After not knowing her biological mother, Jett was raised by her stepmother since she was two years old. Jett’s stepmom, Christina Jett, Is a cosmetologist and esthetician here in Paducah and in Jett’s words, “My biggest inspiration for wanting to go into cosmetology” Christina, has always influenced Jett’s love for the art and encourages Jett to pursue her interest. Giving her books on the subject to help expand her knowledge and helping her practice in a variety of ways. Jett explains that with this help she believes she wants to be an apprentice at a local beauty shop to learn from those around her and better her skills. So that one day she would have the experience of owning her own salon after receiving her license. Jett states that “cosmetology helps me feel put together and I want to help others feel that type of confidence.” She mentions that owning her own business would give her the ability to enjoy all aspects of her life to the fullest and give more time to other pastimes such as music and writing. She understands that starting a business would be difficult but in her words, “You can do anything you put your mind to as long as you believe in yourself and what you’re doing.”