Craig — Craig residents in need of an affordable haircut or in the mood for a pedicure need look no further than Craig’s own Salon and Spa at Colorado Northwestern Community College.

The full-service salon offers hair, nail and skin care services performed by supervised students at discount prices — from $12 haircuts to $8 pedicures to $6 eyebrow waxing. The building, adjacent to the CNCC academic building and sporting brand new floors, also houses the massage therapy program.

The salon is a quintessential part of CNCC’s cosmetology program, which will graduate nine students this month. The one-year program equips students with a full range of skills, from cutting and dying hair, to waxing, sugaring, facials, nails and even microderm abrasion.

At the root of it all for cosmetology and massage therapy program director Erica Dreckman is empowering students with an education and marketable skills.

“I think that’s what I love about it so much is yes, it’s peoples’ passion, and it’s a career, but they’re doing something more and in the end, they feel good about having an education,” Dreckman said.

For students, working in the salon gives them real-world practice, and that includes not just working on clients but also running a front desk, doing laundry and everything else that comes with a salon job.

“It is so professional here and teachers actually want to see you succeed and give you all the tools you need to succeed,” said soon-to-be graduate Kasi Hayden. “It also shows you how it is in the real world… it’s a lot.”

Students also connect with the real world through service: they can be found providing face-painting and free kids’ haircuts at the upcoming Love INC back-to-school fair, doing makeup for high school plays, and giving manicures to residents of Sandrock Ridge Care & Rehabilitation.

Though salon services are provided by cosmetologists-in-training, regular customer Alejandra Ledesma has been pleased with the results, enough that she can be found visiting the salon two to three times per month. She enjoys the full range of services for hair, skin and nails.

“The price is really reasonable and for treatments, the service you get is really good,” Ledesma said. “It’s just very friendly and comfortable.”

Contact Lauren Blair at 970-875-1794 or lblair@CraigDailyPress.com or follow her on Twitter @CDP_Education.