Seven years ago a vision of what is now called The National JEWEL Foundation began to form in Terri Hipps’ mind. She wanted children to have purpose, to discover their career goals early. And she wanted to provide them the motivation and encouragement they would need to reach those goals. Hipps, a member of First Baptist Church, Alabaster, could not help but see children as they someday will be — the leaders of tomorrow.
Little did this home school mom know that a simple Project Day (a fair where home school students brought their projects to be evaluated) she organized for Hope Christian School would evolve into the JEWEL (Judging Every Work-Evaluating With Love) program.
“I wasn’t pleased with the project curriculum we used that first year, so I took a summer to write my own,” said Hipps, the author of five books and mother of five.
Her new curriculum recruited members of the professional community to judge student projects from across Alabama. The students also interact with the judges.
“My hope is that these professionals (project judges) will build entrepreneur relationships with the students that extend well into high school and through college.”
Soon other home school groups were picking up on Hipps’ interactive curriculum. Next year 30 home school covers plan to use the JEWEL Student Project Manual for their fairs.
But Hipps’ vision to prod students on to success extended far beyond her curriculum. “I’ve always been obedient to God in going the next step for the program,” she said.
This weekend’s first annual National JEWEL Association conference at Southeastern Bible College in Birmingham is Hipps’ next step. More than 200 private, public and home school students (grades 1-12) will get the chance to learn from an impressive lineup of more than 60 professionals Aug. 10-12.
“We want to treat each child as an individual so they can meet different people who want to assist them in their future goals,” Hipps said. “We also want to deal with their heart,” she added.
Chapel services led by Christian leaders will run throughout the conference along with musical performances by Steve Camp, Suzanne Talley and Lakeside Baptist Church’s “Souled Out.” The chapel services feature student-performed dramas that encourage a personal relationship with Jesus.
“And we want them to have lots of fun!” Hipps said. A famous juggler, a magician with a message and so much ice cream they had to rewire the site to accommodate all the machines — how could they not have fun?
To Hipps, the Alabama conference is just the beginning. She hopes that other states will pick up on the value of JEWEL conferences and that they will go national.
“I’m going to start putting together a radio program the day after the conference ends,” Hipps said. The program will feature Alabama students and their accomplishments. She hopes that this too will spread to other states.
Hipps is also making plans for a retreat center that provides weeklong training and mentoring sessions for students. Students get an “inside look” into the careers they are considering and lots of one-on-one attention.
“Through JEWEL, I want kids to know that God can use any child and He can give them the capability to do anything as long as they walk in obedience to Him,” Hipps said.
Contact Terri Hipps at 205-621-0807 or tadjewel@yahoo.com.
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