Andalusia’s own Jennifer Brownlee took home a silver medal at the SkillsUSA conference recently.
Brownlee, a 30-year-old mother, won the second highest honor in the country in the esthetics competition.
The SkillsUSA Championship is the national-level competition for public high school and college technical students enrolled in career and technical education programs.
Brownlee won the state gold medal in the esthetics competition.
Brownlee said she was “surprised” that she won the competition.
“There was a lot of good competition,” she said. “I believe it comes down to have a great instructor.”
Denise Sauls, cosmetology instructor at LBWCC, works with the students to prepare them for the competition, Brownlee said.
“We spend time in the classroom and outside the classroom preparing,” she said.
As part of the competition, Brownlee was required to take a written exam, an oral exam, which included a skin consultation on a judge, which included a facial, and she prepared a daytime makeup look and a fantasy look.
“I spent time online researching and getting ideas for the fantasy look,” she said. “Between our instructor, who is a wonderful instructor, and Raychel Bland, who was the 2009 esthetics gold medalist, it was truly a group effort.”
Opp’s Kristin Wood served as her model.
Brownlee, who will compete her degree requirements in August, said she chose the field because she could work and still have flexible hours and make money.
“I love it all,” she said. “I think it’s an industry that continues to grow. You can always learn more. That’s my favorite part that they are always looking for new things in this industry.”
Brownlee is currently completing her internship at Bella Vida Medical Spa in Enterprise and is employed as a nail technician at Merle Normal Cosmetics in Opp.
Brownlee wasn’t the only LBWCC student to participate in the SkillsUSA Randy McGough of Honoraville and Bryan Strickland of Glenwood also participated.
“This experience was an awesome one for each of us, especially the students,” Sauls said. “Each of the students did a tremendous job and represented LBWCC well at this competition. We are very proud of them.”
The combination of record-breaking temperatures, sweltering heat and humidity can be a deadly combination, health department officials said Tuesday.
And because of that, Terry Kyzar, environmental supervisor for the Covington County Health Department, said it’s important for residents to be alert to the warning signals of heat illnesses.
Temperatures throughout Covington County are expected to reach highs in the upper-90s throughout the week with heat indexes reaching 107 degrees.
Kyzar said he knows of at least one person who has suffered a mild heat stroke this summer.
“I had a guy I know who was deck handing and didn’t pay attention and didn’t drink any water,” he said. “By about 12, he started feeling nauseous and dizzy. He had a mild case of heat stroke. It can slip up on you before you know it.”
Heat stroke occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature.
The body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails and the body is unable to cool down. Heat stroke can cause death or a permanent disability.
Warning signs of a heat stroke vary, but the most common include high body temperature, red, hot and dry skin without sweating, headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, unconsciousness and rapid, strong pulse.
It is recommended to get the person to a shady area, let them cool rapidly in cool water, splash with cool water and fan vigorously.
Kyzar said people should stay indoors as much as possible.
“It’s summertime and people are outside, and they are going to be outside, it’s vacation time,” Kyzar said. “Stay in the shade as much as possible. Drink lots of water. Wear loose fitting clothing. When you are working outside, don’t get over heated. Stop and take frequent breaks.”
Kyzar also recommended wearing sunscreen with an SPF value of at least 15.
Individuals who have heart problems, poor circulation, diabetes, have had a previous stroke, or are obese are at a greater risk of becoming sick in hot weather, he said.
Heat-related illnesses may also increase with people who take medications for high blood pressure, nervousness and depression.
Additionally, residents are encouraged to check on the elderly and ensure pets have plenty of water to drink and a shady place to cool off, and never leave them in a parked car, he said.
Attention parents – get your children immunized before the August start of school.
“It really depends on their ages and what grade they’re going into as to what immunizations they need,” said Allison Clark, Covington Pediatrics nurse.
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, the vaccinations currently required for school entry are polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox. The Hib, or Haemophilus Influenzae Type b, vaccine is required for daycare as well.
Additionally, students 11 or 12 entering the sixth grade are required to get the Tdap vaccine, Clark said.
“Also, if they haven’t had their second chicken pox vaccine, they get that, too,” she said. “An easy rule to remember is students need shots going into school, into middle school and then going into college.
“For college students, it’s recommended that if they haven’t had a Tdap within the last five years, they should get that, as well as a hepatitis B vaccine, but the thing to remember is that different colleges require different things,” she said.
Clark said this is a busy time at local doctors’ offices. She said it’s her office’s practice that if the student hasn’t had a wellness check-up during the last 12 months, they will be required to see a physician.
“That way, we can get a baseline of how they’re doing – you know, weight, height, all those important things,” she said. “But those who’ve already been to see us, they can elect to see a nurse practictioner or even a nurse for their immunizations.”
Immunizations are also offered at the Covington County Health Department Monday through Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. While appointments are not necessary, early arrival times are recommended to reduce wait time. Parents must present immunization history to the DPH before immunizations can be given.
The annual Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce golf classic and three-man scramble will be held Fri., August 26, at the Andalusia Country Club.
Registration will begin at 11 a.m., and lunch will be provided for all players with a shotgun start at noon.
Cost to enter the tournament is $100 per player or $400 per three-person team.
Sponsors are needed for the tournament, with sponsorship levels ranging from $100 to $1,500.
Deadline for sponsorships is Aug. 15 and Aug. 22 for the team registration.
For more info, call 222-2030.
The Andalusia Stingrays posted 27 personal best times in its tri-meet Saturday at Cooper Pool.
Of those 27 times, 16 of which were five seconds or less from state qualifying times.
“It was an outstanding turn out by all the teams represented,” 11-and-ups coach Gavin Donaldson said. “The 11-and-ups have worked hard the last couple of weeks to drop their times down before the district meet on Saturday.
“This meet was a good tune-up for what is ahead of the team,” he said. “There are still some of those little things that need correcting. I will address those in this week’s practice.”
Noah Rider and Michael Hudson exceed the state qualifying time in the 50-yard breststroke and the 100-year individual medley, respectively.
Eight-and-under coach Andy Shaddix said the meet came at a good time leading up to the district meet.
“They all posted a lot of really good times,” Shaddix said. “Now we know going to district that we needed to go back to doing the things previously in the season.”
The following is a list of the top baseline time winners from each swimming event:
• Boys and girls 8-and-under 100-yard individual medley (IM): Alex Browning — 2 minutes, 13.73 seconds, Eufaula’s Zoe Johnson — 2:32.41;
• Boys and girls 9-10 100-yard IM: Stuart Baker — 1:41.76, Eufaula’s Morgan Johnston — 1:27.41;
• Boys and girls 11-12 100-yard IM: Alex Johnston — 1:13.31, Cali Fillmer — 1:22.84;
• Boys and girls 13-14 100-yard IM: Eufaula’s Tucker Johnston — 1:13.07, Judy Johnson — 1:26.70;
• Boys 15-18 100-yard IM: Michael Hudson — 1:09.28;
• Boys and girls 8-and-under 25-yard breaststroke: Aidan Vines — 34.84, Ava Bailey — 26.78;
• Boys and girls 9-10 50-yard breaststroke: West Parker — 51.31, Eufaula’s Morgan Johnston — 48.69;
• Boys and girls 11-12 50-yard breaststroke: Eufaula’s Alex Johnston — 39.15, Mary Beth Baker — 45.14;
• Boys and girls 13-14 50-yard breaststroke: Noah Rider — 35.27, Elisabeth Christensen — 45.32;
• Boys and girls 15-18 50-yard breaststroke: B.J. Donaldson — 33.19, Troy’s Chelsea Carr — 46.12;
• Boys and girls 8-and-under 25-yard freestyle: Alex Browning — 20.15, Ava Bailey — 21.03;
• Boys and girls 9-10 50-yard freestyle: Troy’s Cole Coppage — 34.92, Eufaula’s Morgan Johnston — 34.53;
• Boys and girls 11-12 50-yard freestyle: Eufaula’s Alex Johnston — 28.66, Troy’s Jennifer Jordan — 34.87;
• Boys and girls 13-14 50-yard freestyle: Noah Rider — 28.22, Judy Johnson — 35.37;
• Boys and girls 15-18 50-yard freestyle: B.J. Donaldson — 25.65, Troy’s Emily Dent — 30.50;
• Boys and girls 8-and-under 100-yard medley relay: Matthew Beasley, Alex Browning, Addison Mount and Aidan Vines — 1:49.30, Anna Taylor, Ava Bailey, Ashli Parker and Evie Younce — 2:00.31;
• Girls 9-10 200-yard medley relay: Ashlyn Nall, Emma Younce, Sheridan Wright and Laura Lea Blatz — 3:45.16;
• Boys and girls 11-12 200-yard medley relay: Wyatt Taylor, Ben Parker, Brandon Hudson and Josh Hudson — 2:57.53, Loni Blatz, Mary Beth Baker, Cali Fillmer and Alyssa Arnold — 2:44.75;
• Girls 13-14 200-yard medley relay: Mary Johnson, Elisabeth Christensen, Judy Johnson and Kaden Arnold — 2:45.15;
• Boys and girls 8-and-under 25-yard butterfly: Aidan Vines — 34.31, Eufaula’s Zoe Johnson — 32.56;
• Boys and girls 9-10 50-yard butterfly: Troy’s Cole Coppage — 44.87, Ashlyn Nall — 1:09.69;
• Boys and girls 11-12 50-yard butterfly: Brandon Hudson — 43.34, Cali Fillmer — 34.35;
• Boys and girls 13-14 50-yard butterfly: Chase Fillmer — 33.50, Judy Johnson — 38.37;
• Boys 15-10 50-yard butterfly: Michael Hudson — 30.32;
• Boys and girls 8-and-under 25-yard backstroke: Matthew Beasley — 26.38, Evie Younce — 28.90;
• Boys and girls 9-10 50-yard backstroke: Stuart Baker — 47.50, Ashlyn Nall — 51.92;
• Boys and girls 11-12 50-yard backstroke: Troy’s Iyan Hinkle — 48.64, Cali Fillmer — 37.32;
• Boys and girls 13-14 50-yard backstroke: Noah Rider — 34.69, Mary Johnson — 43.90;
• Boys 15-18 50-yard backstroke: B.J. Donaldson — 30.28;
• Boys and girls 8-and-under 50-yard freestyle: Alex Browning — 48.96, Ava Bailey — 53.28;
• Boys and girls 9-10 100-yard freestyle: Troy’s Cole Coppage — 1:26.16, Emma Younce — 1:39.13;
• Boys and girls 11-12 100-yar freestyle: Brandon Hudson — 1:21.19, Mary Beth Baker — 1:19.37;
• Boys and girls 15-18 100-yard freestyle: Michael Hudson — 1:00.53, Troy’s Chelsea Carr — 1:35.82;
• Boys and girls 8-and-under 100-yard freestyle relay: Alex Browning, Matthew Beasley, Alex Birk and Aidan Vines — 1:38.90, Ava Bailey, Ashli Parker, Evie Younce and Anna Taylor — 1:43.62;
• Boys and girls 9-10 200-yard freestyle relay: Stuart Baker, West Parker, Cameron Woodard and Trevey Stoudemire — 3:02.18, Ashlyn Nall, Emma Younce, Sheridan Wright and Laura Lea Blatz — 3:13.15;
• Boys and girls 11-12 200-yard freestyle relay: Ben Parker, Wyatt Taylor, Josh Hudson and Brandon Hudson — 2:29.27, Loni Blatz, Alyssa Arnold, Mary Beth Baker and Cali Fillmer — 2:25.25;
• Girls 13-14 200-yard freestyle relay: Elisabeth Christensen, Kaden Arnold, Mary Johnson and Judy Johnson — 2:27.96.
The Stingrays will compete in the Alabama Recreation and Parks Association district swim meet this Saturday in Dothan. Warm ups are at 8 a.m., and the meet will begin at 9 a.m.