The past year has been a time when people were forced to be separated, but somehow still found ways to come together for the greater good of the community.
Ojai Valley School seniors Amy Kweon and Chloé Warren embodied this ideal with their Senior Capstone project, which combined their common interests to give back to something that meant much to them.
Because of COVID, Chloé has spent the school year studying from home in California while Amy has done the same from her home in South Korea.
But that didn’t stop them from teaming up to create a joint Capstone project that fused their passions of marketing, business and fashion. Together, they created a clothing brand called The Alchemy Atelier, which designed, produced and sold high-end women’s blouses.
Their company sold dozens of items and generated $1,400 in profit, all of which was donated to a nonprofit organization that supports firefighters and other first responders.
“While attending OVS, school taught us to give back and help others,” Amy explained on why they chose to donate the company’s proceeds to the Iverson Foundation for Active Awareness, a group formed in honor of a firefighter killed battling the Thomas Fire.
Both Amy and Chloé were OVS freshmen when the Thomas fire devastated the Ojai Valley and destroyed much of the Upper Campus.
“In 2017, we evacuated our dorms with just hours to spare before the fire burned down much of the OVS campus,” Chloé explained about the experience with the Thomas fire. “From this experience, we gained a better appreciation of the selfless work first responders do each day.”
The Capstone Project is a project that every OVS senior completes.
The project allows students to demonstrate an interest that they gained or developed at OVS. The students take these passions and combine them with the values and academic foundations that they learned at the school.
The Class of 2021 Capstones perfectly represented this.
Oliver Chen, for example, made a video capturing his involvement in creating the OVS weightlifting program and facility. Bella Slosberg created a small business making dog collars, donating the proceeds to animal rescue. Andrew Thacher researched the history of sport climbing, the science and equipment, and how the climbing experience changed him and helped him overcome fear of heights.
“To make a presentation, they research something that is important to them, that they’re driven to understand more, that is maybe something they’re going to pursue later in life or in college,” said Assistant Head of School Crystal Davis, who coordinates the Capstones. The goal of a Senior capstone is “to undertake a project that somehow brings together this passion that they have, with the values of the school.”
Chloé and Amy did exactly that.
For their brand, the two designed a few simple clothing pieces, with a minimal modern aesthetic.
The clothes were made in a factory in South Korea with safe and ethical working conditions, no child labor, and fair wages. After Chloé and Amy received the finished products they marketed them through social media, and created a website for the brand.
“By creating simple pieces,” they wrote in their presentation, “our customers are encouraged to pair the collection with items they already own.”
Upon the recommendation of Ms. Davis, the pair chose to donate proceeds from their venture to the Iverson Foundation for Active Awareness (IFAA), an organization that helps raise awareness and provides resources with mental health related issues for first responders.
The organization was established in honor of Cory Iverson, a fire apparatus engineers for Cal Fire who died in December, 2017, while battling the Thomas Fire.
Both Amy and Chloé were deeply impacted by the Thomas Fire, and they thought it an appropriate gesture to donate the proceeds from their Capstone to the IFAA.
“My heart is so full of gratitude that we successfully ended our project and we’re so happy to support the IFAA,” Amy said.