Cultivating future Makers with DIY Key Word Project

A central mission of ours is to encourage young people, especially women, to acquire technical and intellectual skills and confidence through craft. Our Key Word DIY activity is free to Maker Faire visitors between the ages of 9 and 18. Our KeyWord project provides a 10 minute activity using basic project planning and metalworking skills for young people. The result is a necklace, keychain, bookmark or keepsake charm. 

• This project is zero waste. There is no trash involved - we're actually turning scrap metal orphan keys into functional items - jewelry, keychain, bookmark
• Gender neutral and project options to accommodate everyone. This is important to us. Not everyone wears necklaces and some are bothered by the feeling of wearing something on their neck - so our participants can create a word key for a necklace, a bookmark, a keychain or just a little keepsake.
• Basic project planning and metalworking skills. Participants need to plan for the materials they choose - picking a word and alignment that will work with the key. After planning the spacing with a pencil, a few quick taps of the hammer using metal stamps and safety glasses, and the key is ready to polish and wear or use.
• The satisfaction of identifying as a Maker. This simple project is straightforward, hands-on and gives that sparkling feeling of - wow - I MADE that. The confidence in identifying as a capable maker is profoundly important, especially for young women in their future professional endeavors.

Using vintage keys from doors, roller skates, post office boxes, and suitcases in a variety of shapes, young Makers can create their own word project using letter stamps. We will have a planning station, stamping station, and finishing station, supervised by a Compass Rose Design team member. 

Our hands-on project at the Maker Faire encourages young minds to keep creating with an eye towards history and thinking creatively about repurposing materials.