Fun Volunteer Opportunity for Jewelers
Did you know you can help Girl Scouts earn a badge, just by talking to them about what you do?
That’s right, it’s the Jeweler badge for Junior Girl Scouts. One of the requirements for the girls is to talk to a real jeweler about their work, and have the jeweler explain some jewelry manufacturing processes to them.
Here’s a quote from the Junior Girl Scout Badge Book:
“4. Jeweler’s Skills
Learn about the different jewelry-making techniques of soldering, casting, hammering and molding. Can you describe a situation when each might be used, or find a picture showing an example? If possible, visit an artist who uses one or more of those techniques to make jewelry.”
If you’re worried about having a group of people in your studio, it may comfort you to know that each registered girl and adult in Girl Scouting is insured. You may request a certificate of insurance from the leader if you like.
Of course, they don’t have to go to your studio, another option is for you to go to their meeting place.
To explain the processes listed above, it would be extremely helpful to have made posters about the process, and to have actual samples on hand for the girls to touch. Have a vulcanizer rubber mold, and a wax shot from that mold, and a raw casting, and a finished ring.
Casting is a process that even adults sometimes have trouble understanding. Make it clear by having the real examples on hand and touchable.
If you’d like to help the girls with an actual jewelry making project, that’s part of the badge too, though they can do that on their own or with their troop.
If you’re more into rocks, there’s a badge for that too, Rocks Rock.
To let Girl Scout leaders know you’re available, contact your local Girl Scout council. Find it online or start at GirlScouts.org, the national site, click volunteer.
Here’s a cool pdf of Badges, Then and Now.
Girl Scout badges have inspired many to make their own “badges,” see this previous post on art badges you can earn.
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Yea, if you can get a word in edgewise. We just had about eight or
ten (didn’t get an exact count, they move really fast) in our shop
or just that reason. I thought it would be about an hour
conversation, show them how to do some simple soldering, maybe size a ring, or set a stone, and send them back to their wigwam.
Don’t underestimate the Girl Scouts, they are some smart cookies.
These kids show up with a list of questions about the entire business process. Who sends us orders? How do we know how to do the work? Where do we get our material? They saw rough stones on one bench, more questions. They saw waxes in the process, more questions.
Spools of wire, sheet stock, rolling mil, rubber molds, steamer, plating machine, ultrasonic, kilns, etc, etc, etc, questions, questions,
questions. These weren’t just kids rattling their mouths, they were
even taking notes. By the time the scout leader dragged them out the door they had me showing them how to do plique a jour dragonfly wings!
Exhausting to say the least. I don’t see how teachers and parents
keep from all being alcoholics, it took me three pints of stout just
to calm down after the ordeal, and then a couple more just to make
sure I didn’t have a relapse!
All in all it really it was a very present experience, and I would
highly recommend it to anyone with the time. (I was just in the mood to rant). We even let them design their own troop ring, ( a little rose with a birth stone in the center) and let them see all the
fabricated parts before casting each girl her own ring in silver as a
keepsake.
Christopher Arnett (ex Boy Scout)
http://www.christopherarnettjewelers.com