After graduating from Marco Island Academy, Sidney Legros ended up taking a different path than the one she originally planned. All throughout high school, she was sure she wanted to be a pediatric nurse. Her family worked in the medical field, she loved helping people, and she thought that working with kids would be perfect for her; however, once she really took the time to think about it, she realized she didn’t have the passion for it and couldn’t see herself doing it for the rest of her life.
Instead, Sidney decided to follow a new interest which was skincare and beauty. She went to the Skincare Academy of Florida in Bonita Springs and became a licensed esthetician. Now, she offers her services both from home and as a mobile esthetician, bringing her business to her clients.
Looking back, Sidney says MIA helped her become more self aware and independent. “I don’t know if MIA directly impacted my career choice,” she said, “but it definitely made me realize a lot about myself, and I’m super grateful for that.”
During high school, she also did dual enrollment through FSW for about two and a half years. Even though she ended up switching her career path, she still feels it was one of the best decisions she made. This upcoming spring, she’ll be going back to FSW to take classes in business, marketing, and entrepreneurship to help her grow her own esthetics business.
When asked what advice she’d give to current seniors, Sidney said “Don’t go to an expensive university just for the college experience or to stay close to friends. Go because you actually love what you want to do in the future.”
If she could go back, Sidney said she would’ve focused more on her SAT scores, GPA, and mental health. “I was so focused on passing my dual enrollment classes that I didn’t think about how my scores could help me later on. I also didn’t take care of my mental health like I should’ve, which ended up affecting me a lot.”
Now, Sidney’s excited for what’s next. With her esthetics license and plans to learn more about running a business, she’s working toward building a future doing something she truly loves.
