The finest ingredients, such as locally harvested seaweed, ebullient creativity, and months of planning have gone into the preparation for the Youth Craft Fair.
One example is the Grade 6-7 students of Division 2, who have launched a collaborative small business as part of their class activities that has included designing their own marketing materials and making Bowen Island seaweed infused oils that will be for sale in Room 4 upstairs at Bowen Island Community School.
There will also be baked goods, stickers, stuffies, cards, jewelry, playdough, paper cranes, candles, catnip toys, bracelets, crochet and knit items, pinecone art, hot chocolate mixes, ornaments, hairclips, art, earrings, zodiac bracelets, handmade decorations, and more for sale at dozens of tables located in the upper foyer, Room 1 (the multipurpose room) and down the hall in Room 4.
Youth entrepreneurship supports and builds resilience, explores creativity, innovation, mathematics, and is a complex experiential learning opportunity which includes a social element as well as a charitable element sometimes. From K-Grade 12 the youth participating are from many different schools at this inclusive event!
The youth need you to be ready for the Craft Fair too! They ask that people please bring a re-useable shopping bag and cash, as most of the youth will not be able to accept e-transfers or cheques. They ask that you be willing to park/carpool and/or walk to the school, as they are only selling from 10 am to Noon, so please be ready to come for the busiest two hours, (the downstairs Craft Fair runs 10 am to 3 pm).
Also: if you’re planning on buying lots of baked goods, the youth crafters also recommend bringing some of your own plastic containers to help reduce the amount of packaging! “No one likes a squished cupcake, although they taste just as good!”
The Community School Association’s annual Craft Fair has been one of the biggest and most anticipated traditional events on Bowen since 1984. The Craft Fair has always included crafters and artisans of all ages, and always made room for youth to encourage the next generation. A few years ago, the CSA created the Youth Craft Fair rooms in the upper part of the school as well as a youth entrepreneurship education program in order to give the youngest entrepreneurs the skills needed for success. The Youth Craft Fair is run by the CSA’s Craft Fair subcommittee members: Community School Coordinator Sarah Haxby and Wendy Harding.
So: don’t forget: plan to spend a bit of extra time at the CSA Craft Fair and to make the trek upstairs to the Youth Craft Fair from 10 am to Noon on Sunday, December 3 to see this year’s youngest crafters as well as the PAC’s photos with Santa!
