Putting tiny gems on random items might sound tedious, but not to the 50+ students who showed up to the first Bedazzle Club meeting on Friday, September 26. To them, this new club was a hit. “Even though it was crowded, I had a really fun time and I liked how I was surrounded by everyone who loves to bedazzle,” freshman Joren Saltzburg said.
The club was founded by sophomores Uriel Castañeda, Sukie McIntosh, and Addie Williams, but it was Williams who first had the idea to start it.
“It all started with a track team bonding bedazzling party,” Williams said, where the girls decorated their spikes together. “[It was] a really good team bonding moment, and everyone was really happy and relaxed.” She first got into bedazzling through TikTok, and after the party, she fell in love with it even more. Soon after, she introduced it to her friends Uriel and Sukie, and together, they decided to share the fun with the greater Upper School community.
“[It is] like the next Pickle Club, something everyone wants to be a part of because it’s so fun,” Castañeda said. “[Beadazzle Club is] a space to engage and make contributions instead of working up the club hierarchy,” McIntosh said.
The Club’s mission is to give students a creative, low-pressure space to relax and recharge through hands-on art. Whether working on group projects or personal designs, members can unwind, connect with others, and express themselves freely.
The founders were thrilled by the turnout at their first meeting. The club has drawn many members, possibly because it’s very “therapeutic, trendy, and a way to make things look prettier,” Williams said. Furthermore, the club’s rise in popularity and beadazzling in general can be connected to the “2016 slime movement, as it’s that same fun, satisfying, hands-on creativity everyone loved,” McIntosh said.
“[Bedazzled Club] is a free, low-pressure space where you can just make stuff with your friends, talk, and take something home that you’re proud of,” Williams said. Club members agree with this as well.“I thought bedazzling things were really fun and doing it with friends made it even better,” Saltzburg said, and she looks forward to coming back soon and finishing bedazzling her lip gloss.
However, the challenge of this club is finding space. Many students showed up to the meeting and Upper School math teacher Wendy Olt’s room couldn’t fit them all. The founders are now looking for a bigger space, buying more materials to ensure there are enough gems and glue to go around, and applying for official club status soon.
With three meetings already under its belt, Bedazzle Club is well on its way to becoming an official Parker club. The leaders hope to collaborate with committees like Pride and use bedazzling to support good causes. They also plan to launch an Instagram account to showcase members’ creations and celebrate the club’s growing community.
“We want to thank the senior grade for spreading the word and showing up because they were a big part of the success,” Castañeda said.
