Some of the sparkled and shine of the handcrafted jewelry available this holiday season was designed and created by West Side high school students.
Peace of
the City selected five high school girls to design, produce and sell
jewelry. The girls named their business
Zieani Jewelry and sold their items at multiple church events, home parties, local consignment
shops and fairs.
Megan McClain Kwacz, Peace of the City program director said this helps support the organizations’s mission to promote job readiness.
“It
focuses on business and art skills for young women,” Kwacz said.
With the
conclusion of the selling of events for the year, the girls will meet on Dec. 20 at Peace of the City to use the remainder of their supplies to
make jewelry to give as Christmas gifts.
They will also receive their Christmas stipend.
Tatyanna
Bray, a member of the Zieani jewelry team, believes the emphasis on
relationships is what makes this organization so successful.
“Everybody’s
here as a family,” she said. “It’s a
great environment.”
The
regular programs that Peace of the City holds will end Dec. 19 and start back
up Jan. 7. This includes the homework
club and the teen programs.
“We
really are a multivitamin for youth on the West Side,” Kwacz said. By Crissie Russo and Caitlin Waters
