Three weeks before graduating from Lincoln High School, Aleigh Weight walked across the stage at Mid-State Technical College to earn her Nail Technician technical diploma.

It started with a passion for creativity. Aleigh was just nine years old when she first started doing nails. She began with painting, which grew into nail art, which grew into doing nails for her friends and family. “I always just knew that this was what I was going to do,” she said.

Aleigh was able to tap into her creative side when competing for Miss Wisconsin Rapids in October 2023. Her high-speed, upside-down speed painting helped to win her the Miss Wisconsin Rapids 2024 title. According to Aleigh, she was awarded $2,800 in scholarships from the competition. 

Aleigh used the scholarships earned at the Miss Wisconsin Rapids Pageant along with the Mid-State Fast-Track program to cover all the costs for the Nail Technician program. Fast-Track allows high school students to enroll in select Mid-State programs to get ahead and even complete a college program before graduating from high school. 

She first learned about Mid-State Fast-Track when touring Mid-State’s Wisconsin Rapids Campus. From there, she worked closely with Eric Siler, career and technical education coordinator at Lincoln High School, and Carly Lee, college outreach coordinator at Mid-State, to create a schedule that fit her high school requirements and Nail Technician courses. “Mr. Siler and Carly did so much work for me and I’m so grateful for them.”

Aleigh completed enough high school credits that she was able to do her last semester completely online, which was instrumental in allowing her to enroll in the Nail Technician program.

One highlight of her time in the Nail Technician program is building connections with her classmates. “It was really fun getting to know all of them,” she said. “With a class of nine people, you get to know everyone really quickly.”

She also enjoyed the hands-on experience within the program, including working with clients at The Salon at Mid-State. “Our first day with clients was crazy,” she said. “But looking back, it was so cool realizing how far we've come.”

Aleigh encourages those who are considering getting a head start on college to “just do it.” “Use your resources and get advice from a lot of different people,” she said.

She also encourages those interested in the Nail Technician program to take time outside of class to do research on trends and best practices. “Continue your education outside of class,” she said. “It helped me prepare for my boards.”

Written and practical exams are required to become a licensed manicurist in the state of Wisconsin. One of the reasons Aleigh feels well-prepared to take the board exam is because she has exceeded the number of hours required to be eligible to take the exam. “The state requires 300 hours of instruction and practice, and 360 hours are built into the Nail Technician program,” she said. 

“My hours-needed sheet lists a negative number,” she joked.

Aleigh’s plans for the future include taking the manicurist licensure exam, competing at the Miss Wisconsin Pageant, and opening her own nail salon business, Aleigh Jo Nails. She also aims to complete the Business Management associate degree program and one day teach nail technician classes herself.