Bracelets and purses made by Central American artists are for sale
By Ellie Scott, Current Staff
The West Bend High Schools Spanish Club is helping color the world, one pulsera at a time.
The Spanish Club is selling pulseras (bracelets) and bolsas (purses) to support artists from Guatemala and Nicaragua. The fundraiser, run through the nonprofit Pulsera Project, began Dec. 3 and continues until Dec. 17. The items are being sold primarily in rooms U45 and U65. All proceeds will be given to the Central American artists who made each item.
“They are learning how to support themselves,” said Dawn Abts, a West Spanish teacher and co-advisor of the Spanish Club. “We’re providing them an avenue because they have a very limited market, and the market value is so low in that area of the world. It’s also great because it develops a personal connection with the little tickets that are attached with the artist’s name.”
Abts says that the fundraiser is in the spirit of global citizenship and making connections.
“I’m starting to see kids that I don’t have in Spanish class,” said Brenda Henschel, an East Spanish teacher and co-advisor of the Spanish club. “They may not even be in a language (class) at all.”
In the first five days of the sale, the club has raised nearly $900 and completely sold out of purses.
“I think that since a whole bunch of the kids in Spanish Club went to Guatemala, they were excited about getting another thing from there,” said Kelsey Will, a West junior and president of the Spanish Club. “Because we went there and it was cool, but (also) to have that culture come back here and share it with everyone.”
(Photos by Olivia Langdon, Current Staff.)
The West Bend Current 