“It definitely sparked something. The teachers were all so concerned with you and it was more personable."
For the Fall 2026 semester, we are celebrating 30 years of Project HOPE with a series of alumni stories. Project HOPE students have achieved many great things thanks to the support they received, and we feel privileged that they shared their stories with us as we celebrate a wonderful program.
Megan Duzan grew up in the salon. Now, she’s watching her own students grow into professionals as a Nail Technician instructor thanks to the support she received through Project HOPE at Francis Tuttle Technology Center.
“I’m so glad for this opportunity,” Duzan said. “It’s so exciting and I’m so happy to be able to come back here.”
Duzan graduated from Project HOPE in 2000. Before that, she was struggling as a student at Deer Creek High School. She found a group of like-minded classmates who were eager to get back on track.
“When I came to Project HOPE, I felt like there were other kids who were like me,” she said. “It was a better fit. I made more friends.”
Duzan said she benefited from more individualized learning guided by instructors who could help her through more difficult subjects.
“I knew I would get help quickly, and I also knew the steps were going to be explained to me,” she said. “I struggled with math really bad. Ms. Joyce was the math teacher at that time, and I knew she would walk me through each step to where I could understand it.”
As she caught up and improved, Duzan said she began to view her education differently. She saw how important it would be for her future and how determined Project HOPE instructors were to support her.
“It definitely sparked something,” she said. “The teachers were all so concerned with you, and it was more personable. It was almost like having your own teacher for each subject. We got that one-on-one help.”
That allowed her to plan for her future career, and while she thought about several careers, there was one in particular that stood out thanks to her upbringing.
“My mom was a stylist, my dad was a stylist, my grandmother was a nail tech and a hair stylist, my aunt; I kind of felt like it ran in the family,” Duzan said.
Duzan worked as a nail technician for over 20 years, including time at a salon with current Francis Tuttle Esthetics Instructor Margo Skinner. She said Skinner encouraged her to return and earn her instructor’s certification.
“I knew I wanted to help people,” Duzan said. “This age group is really fun and I feel like I can connect with them well. And I love nails. It’s such a fun art.”