In the well-lit and quiet room, Jewelry Club’s members craft and chat away. The natural light glitters off the beads and charms, all of which are spread across a table. Within its walls, the Jewelry Club serves as a respite in the chaos of the day.
The club resides in the corner room 258 of 115 Greenough. Every X-block since April, members work at their own pace and call on more experienced members for help if they need it. The Jewelry Club serves as a space for creative expression, skill development and outreach.
While sharing materials and space, club members focus on their unique projects and experiment with the art as they please. Junior and founder Sofia Oviedo said she was inspired to create the new club in April after starting her jewelry journey three years ago.
“I wanted to share what I love to do with other students at BHS,” Oviedo said.
Sophomore Kayden Donahue recently joined the club and continues to attend meetings regularly.
“I’m friends with a lot of people there, it’s fun to hang out with them,” Donahue said. “They’re very welcoming, they’re funny. And I think they are just good people to be around.”
Junior Lou Nascimento, who joined the club in April, has become a dedicated member and has started making jewelry for others. She said that jewelry-making is a good skill to have.
“Later in life, if I ever need money, I can try making jewelry and selling it,” Nascimento said.
Donahue said that the club can be more than a space for artistic authenticity. According to them, the club offers a community where they can freely express their personality. Oviedo said that jewelry making is a personal process that takes time and patience.
“It can be a little frustrating to learn everything. But once you get it down it’s a lot more fun and less stressful,” Oviedo said. “At the beginning it was stressful because I didn’t know what I was doing but I do now.”
In addition to creating a space for jewelry makers, Oviedo shared an interest in having a space to recognize disparities in the world through the art form. Oviedo said that within the highschool, it’s not widely encouraged to participate in activism; and as the year goes on, she hopes to sell the club’s jewelry for a number of charities.
“We’re planning to donate the proceeds to a charity called ‘Save The Children’. It’s aimed toward Gaza and countries that are in crisis,” Oviedo explained. “I thought that that could help bring awareness to certain things.”
