Reese Burtrum has wanted to do hair since she was little. Rachel Hillard wants to be a sideline reporter. These Hill-McCloy High School students are already a step ahead: both are on track to hold a state cosmetology license as soon as they graduate in 2027. 

Enrolled at Mid Michigan School of Cosmetology, Burtrum and Hillard are working through 1,500 hours of training — hair, nails, skin care, sanitation, and business — before completing their state board exams. 

Burtrum and Hillard are two of the 2025 recipients of the Robert and Monna Short Scholarship, awarded to Montrose students pursuing technical or vocational education. 

Burtrum plans to build a client base at a salon and eventually open her own business. She's already talking to students at job fairs about trade schools. "I think a lot of people push college, but you can still make a living by going to trade school," she said. "Hair is something I've always thrived doing. It makes my heart happy — seeing people walk out the door feeling better, good, and like they look themselves." 

Hillard is headed to Central Michigan University for sports media. If her career takes a different path, she'll still be certified. She traces the interest back to her childhood hairstylist. "She made going to the salon so nice for me," Hillard said. "I want to make it nice for other people." 

The program trains students in technical skills alongside OSHA certification, job shadows at working salons, and the customer service basics that carry into any career. 

"Students don't just get a piece of paper at the end of graduation," Montrose Community Schools superintendent Linden Moore said. "This is a state certification where these students are able to get jobs anywhere in the state."