Amazing Kids Feature: Jordan from Tennessee

Jordan Miner was first introduced to A Long Walk to Water (ALWTW) as a sixth- grade student at Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School in Massachusetts. That year, English Education teacher Ms. Remillard read ALWTW with her sixth graders and then launched an accompanying fundraiser for Water for South Sudan. Social Studies teacher Kathryn Wilkinson also incorporated ALWTW into her Africa unit, and principal Paul Niles helped lead the fundraising charge. The Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter student community has raised nearly $48,000 for Water for South Sudan since 2013.

Alyssa, Jordan’s mom, was a jewelry maker and metalsmith when Jordan read ALWTW with Mrs. Remillard. Alyssa had temporarily stepped back from her jewelry business to focus on raising her kids and hadn’t been in her studio for a year and a half.

One day, Jordan came home and abruptly announced that he had volunteered her to teach a jewelry-making class. “After a brief freakout,” as Alyssa puts it, she “pulled [her] workshop back together and had the best time teaching this group of talented kids.” The class was an overwhelming success and gave Jordan an idea. What if he made bracelets in his mom’s studio, sold them to family and friends, and donated 100% of the proceeds to his school’s Water for South Sudan fundraiser? Jordan decided to make hammered bangle bracelets and raised nearly $600 to fund clean water, becoming the second-highest fundraiser in his class. That was the day their business, Jammin Hammer Jewelry was born. “It made me feel good to know I was doing something to help other people,” Jordan reflects. If you’re looking to fundraise, and don’t know where to start, he recommends finding “something you enjoy doing that can benefit others.” 

What started as a simple concept has since become a successful seven-year-long fundraising operation. Jordan is still making bracelets to support WFSS in his mom’s studio when he’s home from college. Jammin Hammer is thriving—Alyssa and Jordan still create rings, necklaces, and earrings, as well as their signature bracelets. Jordan still makes bracelets to benefit Water for South Sudan, and the duo has since begun selling their work to support additional charities that are important to them.

“It’s the best thing we’ve ever done. It’s changed our lives in so many ways. It’s brought such new meaning to our work.” Alyssa says. “Everything we do now is with the hopes of raising money and bringing awareness to different causes...and it’s all because of Water for South Sudan—it’s nearest and dearest to our heart.” She continues, “And people say to me, ‘Oh, it’s so wonderful that you teach your son to give back!’ and I say, ‘Oh no, he taught me. This was all because of him.’”

Jordan is one of four siblings and is currently a freshman at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he studies mechanical engineering, with a minor in math. Jordan knew he wanted to attend Tennessee as early as the fourth grade, and the opportunity came when the Miner family relocated to Tennessee about three years ago. Jordan’s younger sister is now in sixth grade herself and is reading ALWTW with her own class this year. When he’s not in school or making jewelry, Jordan is playing club lacrosse at his university, building computers, or playing classical guitar. He also works at an antique store close to home, where he sells his jewelry too.  

Every day we’re grateful for Amazing Kids like Jordan—young people who step up to make a life-changing difference for South Sudan’s most vulnerable communities. Thank you for inspiring us and making our work possible!

You can purchase a Jammin Hammer bracelet to support Water for South Sudan here.