(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT - Oct. 12, 2026) — For Burges High School senior Kolle Stevenson, giving back to the community is something she has seen firsthand through her father, a law enforcement officer. This September, she found a way to make that appreciation her own and with a little help from her cosmetology classmates.

Kolle helped organize “Stylin Those Who Serve,” an event at El Paso ISD’s Center for Career and Technology Education (CCTE) that offered free manicures to law enforcement officers. The event gave officers a chance to be recognized for their service while allowing cosmetology students to put their classroom training into practice.

“I thought it’d be nice to give back to our law enforcement because people in law enforcement, they do a lot,” Kolle said. “They serve our city and our community, and they put a lot of dedication in their work, and so I wanted to do something nice for them.”

With the support of her classmates and cosmetology instructor Lydia Carrasco, Kolle helped turn her idea into an opportunity for students to serve others while developing their professional skills.

For the students, the event was about more than manicures. It was a chance to practice their craft, interact with clients and experience how their skills can make a difference in the community.

“We are students, and we are still learning, but this is something that we can do for our law enforcement because it shows we care,” Kolle said.

Carrasco said she was proud to see a student take the initiative to develop an idea and bring classmates together around a shared purpose.

“We are proud of our students who take the initiative and come up with ideas like this because it shows that our students are learning to become independent,” Carrasco said.

For Kolle, the event also reflected a lesson she has learned from watching her father serve the community.

“It feels nice to give back to our community. I see my father do it all the time and he’s been a great inspiration for what it means to serve your community, and I wanted to do something similar in my own way,” she said.

Carrasco hopes the event will continue to grow, giving future CCTE cosmetology students similar opportunities to use their skills in service to others.

“We are hoping this event takes off so we can continue it as a tradition here at CCTE and make it bigger and better each year,” Carrasco said.

Through “Stylin Those Who Serve,” students showed that career and technical education extends beyond learning a profession. It also creates opportunities to build confidence, take initiative and strengthen connections with the community.

To learn more about programs at CCTE, click here.