Thirteen years ago, Beth Sczempka, her husband Joe and their three teenaged children traveled to Tijuana to help build a house for a needy family. They ended up building more than a house.
During a break from mixing cement, Beth learned that Build A Miracle, the San Diego nonprofit sponsoring the project, was expanding into job-training programs and wanted to create a hairstyling school. But the group was having difficulty.
They knew Beth was a hairstylist and asked her for advice. Instead of giving advice, Beth agreed to lead the effort for Build A Miracle.
Two months later, Bloom Beauty Academy opened in the El Florido neighborhood of Tijuana with the first class of eight students.
Today, the Academy teaches six-month courses that include hairstyling, nails, makeup and skin care. Each course has 60 to 90 students. About 500 students have completed courses.
The academy employs local hairstylists as teachers, including some graduates. The director is a single mother who was in the first class.
Beth regularly visits the Academy to teach while maintaining a salon in Rancho Penasquitos.
She has developed close bonds with many of the students.
“We’ve had girls who left abusive relationships and pretty horrible situations,” Beth said. “Many don’t have anything beyond a third-grade education. But they don’t need to even read or write to learn to use their hands in an artistic way.
“The academy gives people the chance to have dreams, goals, pride and a future of independence. It’s a beautiful thing to see.”
Every six months, course graduation ceremonies are held that attract hundreds of families and friends celebrating what is for many students the biggest accomplishment of their lives.
“A lot of tears and celebration,” Beth said. “I cry at every graduation. I view these women as family.”
After graduation, students serve customers at home, often shacks without floors, flea markets or at the clients’ homes.
Beth, who also spent a month in Cambodia teaching hairstyling to trafficking victims, has never been paid.
“Helping people is the best gift for me,” she said. “It feels so good.”
Born in 1958 and raised in San Diego, from an early age Beth enjoyed volunteering and helping people, something she attributes to her mother who was an incessant volunteer.
“Mom was an incredibly giving person,” Beth said. “She taught me unconditional love and the value of helping others. She would say, ‘always treat every person with respect and put yourself in their shoes.’”
Growing up in east San Diego, Beth attended Crawford High School where she regularly volunteered for school activities. In her senior year, she volunteered for the two-person school mascot costume — a horse.
“I was the back half if you must know.”
That earned her an invitation to perform in the Disneyland Christmas parade. A few years later, she was selected to portray Snow White. There, she met Joe, who portrayed Prince Charming. They have since been married 39 years.
Their storybook beginning continued as they created a family dedicated to helping others.
Fifteen years ago, their son questioned why the family gave each other Christmas presents since there are so many families in need. Ever since, family no longer receive presents (except for the three young grandchildren) and, instead, give presents to underprivileged families.
“A manager for low-income apartment buildings helps us find families each year and makes a list of gifts for the parents and children,” Beth said. “Each family member gets one gift. I post on Facebook and Nextdoor inviting people to participate. We get many participants.
“Close to Christmas, we go into their apartments and set up gifts, sometimes decorations and a Christmas tree.”
The family’s giving nature never stops as they continue to help build houses in Mexico. “I’ve mixed a lot of cement, hung drywall and painted,” Beth said. “I’ve attended over 75 house dedications.”
As for the Bloom Beauty Academy, there are plans to expand and include a barber course.
“I will never walk away [from the academy],” she said. “You never walk away from family.”
About this series
Goldsmith is a Union-Tribune contributing columnist.
We welcome reader suggestions of people who have done something extraordinary or otherwise educational, inspiring or interesting and who have not received much previous media. Please send suggestions to Jan Goldsmith at [email protected]
