Perhaps they all won’t land jobs backstage in Hollywood, but Cosmetology students at the Career & Technical Education (CTE) Center, like BH-BL senior Sarah Nugent, did learn how to turn the human body into an artistic—albeit ghoulish—venture.
Through classroom instruction and guest lectures, Nugent and other high school students in the two-year CTE program learn the art of theatrical makeup just in time to create the most gruesome or awesome Halloween designs.
During a recent class, seniors in Nicole Wentraub’s classroom were practicing the artform.
Bullet wounds, stab wounds and gashes were everywhere as the aspiring cosmetologists put their ghoulish touches on each other. 
“It’s fun to be creative and make it look so real,” said Sarah Nugent, a senior from Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake.
Graduates of the Capital Region BOCES Cosmetology program have gone onto practice their skills as professional makeup artists.
Class of 2016 graduate Ashley Rosencrans, a Niskayuna alum, attended the world-famous Make-up Designory in New York City to hone her artistic skills before working in several area salons. She has also done theatrical makeup and shared her ghoulish talents with the actors at Fright Fest at Six Flags in Lake George.
The ghoulish lesson is one of many provided to students to expand their knowledge beyond hair styling.
“The cosmetology department explores many career options throughout the year, theatrical makeup artists being one of them,” said Wentraub. “It’s fun, but it also has practical implications for the students, who can use these skills in future career endeavors.”
There are more than 100 students from two-dozen school districts enrolled in the program that is offered this year on the Albany and Schoharie campuses. Students in the two-year program learn everything from nail care to shampooing, rinsing, conditioning, artistry in hair styling, decontamination, and infection control and financial planning.