First Gen firefighter says: ‘This is my passion. I want to make a difference in the community’
COLONIE — A Colonie Central senior is set to make a mark in both the cosmetology and firefighting fields, driven by a desire to help others.
Brianna Toro, entering her final year in the Cosmetology program at the Capital Region BOCES, chose the program for its potential to positively impact people’s lives. “I can make people feel good about themselves,” Toro said of her decision.
In addition to her cosmetology pursuits, Toro is also a junior firefighter with the Stanford Heights Volunteer Fire Company. Her interest in firefighting began with her proximity to the firehouse, sparking a passion that she has since embraced fully.
“This is my passion. I want to make a difference in the community,” Toro said. “I am a first-generation firefighter. I live right down the street from the firehouse and it always interested me. Being where the action is. So, I checked it out and I fell in love with it.”
Toro’s ambition is to pursue a career as a paid firefighter while maintaining a side career in hairstyling. “I will have the ability to save someone’s life as a firefighter and then come into the salon and change someone’s life,” she said. “It would be the best of both worlds.”
Last school year, over 100 students were enrolled in the Cosmetology program across the Albany and Schoharie Career and Technical Education Center campuses. The program provides students with the necessary skills and 1,000 hours of training required to take the New York state licensure exam, preparing them for immediate entry into the workforce or further education.
Jean Hoffer, a retired Capital Region BOCES Cosmetology teacher who instructed Toro last year, commended the senior for her “dedication to her community and her studies.”
