Warrior Craft, a new program within Woodbridge High’s vocational skills class, has begun selling handcrafted bracelets and custom buttons. Founded by education specialists James Hickson and Nicholas Card, Warrior Craft’s goal is to further involve ESN students into the Woodbridge High community. It is a way for them to try out new activities, challenge themselves and have fun working together.
“Our main focus is making sure that it’s student led and student driven,” Card said.
Warrior Craft’s main customers are those from the Adult Transition Program, the school where students in ESN go after they graduate from Woodbridge High, as well as students and staff.
Freshman Ian Jeong, a member of Warrior Craft, enjoys making the bracelets. He says he loves to put together bracelets with black and yellow beads.
Students in Warrior Craft take the time to hand make all of the bracelets and custom buttons for each order. Those who participate follow step-by-step instructions using picture task analysis, a series of tasks displayed visually for students to follow.
Joy Kim, another freshman in Warrior Craft, says her favorite bracelet patterns are those with the pink and purple crystal beads. In fact, Warrior Craft makes a variety of designs for bracelets, with charms and patterns coordinating with different themes, including holidays and popular Disney characters. Recently, the bracelet making has further expanded to encompass beaded phone and backpack charms too.
The Warrior Craft team also specializes in making customizable buttons. One popular button design has been putting faces on the buttons.
“We kind of spread the word by giving each teacher and staff member a custom button,” Card said. Woodbridge High students can actually see the custom buttons displayed on some teachers’ lanyards.
Those in Warrior Craft have learned new skills and made new memories together through this new school business. Warrior Craft freshman Ronan Flynn‘s fondest memory was when he handed out receipts as his classmates sold bracelets and buttons at the teacher luncheon.
On Dec. 5, Warrior Craft set up their first pop-up shop. Students from the ESN program encouraged Woodbridge High students to place a customizable order of bracelets, charms or buttons by scanning a QR code or to buy straight from the table using cash or credit. After the success of their first lunch pop-up shop in the main quad, Warrior Craft has had a few more pop-up shops set up in both the main quad and music quad. Warrior Craft looks forward to having a few more this school year.
“This is just another way for our students to be recognized and to feel proud of the work that they’re doing,” Card said.
Students and staff can look to support Warrior Craft by showing up to the Warrior Craft pop-up shops or by emailing Hickson or Card to order custom bracelets and buttons.
