EVERETT ROOKIE ROCKHOUNDS

In 1996 Carol Hall was an active Everett Rock and Gem Club Member with a young son, Danny and daughter, Crystal. Her kids came to the Rock Club Meetings, but were bored by the business and program portions. So Carol started a Juniors Rock Club Meeting on the same nights in a separate room. In 1998, Gary Buhr became the Juniors Advisor after temporarily helping Carol and named the Juniors Rock Club the Everett Rookie Rockhounds. If you are under age 18 you qualify to be a Junior Rockhound.
Now our Rock Club is proud to know we have become "famous" because Junior Members have won blue ribbons or trophies in Display Competition and six of the Everett Rookie Rockhounds have won FIRST PLACE NFMS Junior Achievement Awards since 2001. Our one hour monthly meetings have 15 to 25 Juniors present to make jewelry, learn about rocks, do rock art, play rock related games to win prizes and have fun together. After we have our Juniors Meeting we go into the main Rock Club Meeting to enjoy Show and Tell, Silent Auction for neat specimens, Raffle and Door Prizes and socialize with treats.
Benefits of being a Junior Rockhound include access to a profound pool of lapidary talent and expertise, opportunities for Field Trips, learning about the world of rocks, gems and minerals, building a collection of your favorite rock(s), affiliation with regional and national Rockhound organizations, meeting new friends and participating in our Annual Gem and Jewelry Show every February. About 17 Juniors help operate the KIDS CORNER at the Annual Show where they interact with peers in commerce and we have about a dozen Juniors place Show Displays of their treasures for the public to enjoy.
Our Juniors have diverse backgrounds and interests that include gem or mineral collecting, lapidary arts, jewelry or bead work, stone carving, fossil preparation, geology and Earth science. Not all Juniors have parents or guardians that are already "seasoned" Rockhounds, many are just starting out and taking their first steps into the awesome realm of Earth science and pretty rocks! Our primary intent is to empower the Juniors and help them develop their individual interests and confidence from an educational and fun perspective. We provide an inviting, safe and rewarding environment for each Meeting.
Some Junior Rockhounds have been Members for seven consecutive years. The Everett Rookie Rockhounds enjoy being one of the most active, productive and vital Junior Rock Clubs in the Northwest. We welcome Guests for free and then come join us for only three dollars per year with a parent or sponsor who also joins Everett Rock and Gem Club, who needs to attend with the Juniors.
If you have any questions write to Everett Rock and Gem Club/Everett Rookie Rockhounds, P.O. Box 1615, Everett, WA 98206 or email everettrockclub@hotmail.com