Custom guitar pick necklace may be the next kid craze

PICKIN' FOR FUNDS- Willow Elementary School students and friends display their new guitar pick necklaces on sale at the school this week and next. Front row, from left: Justin Wank and Stephanie Lechman. Middle row: Hayley and Morgan Wank, Hunter Ballard and Samantha Speer. Back row, Leron Elkayam and Jarret Baum. A new craze at Willow Elementary School in Agoura Hills may be the next must-have item for students of all ages. Colorful necklaces made of guitar picks emblazoned with cool sayings and hung on military ball chains are being sold to students after school this week through Feb. 23.

The $5 necklaces hit a chord with students. The theme also meshes nicely with the Parent Faculty Association's objective of fundraising for the school's music, art, computer and physical education programs.

"They're awesome!" said Sarah Flanagan, a seventhgrade student at Lindero Canyon Middle School.

The guitar picks are manufactured by a local company, but the style, colors and slogans (Famous One Day, Rock On, Pride, Too Cool, Awesome, Rock Star) were created by parents Mary Lechman and Tami Wank. Wank is the cochair for the PFA's Let's Rock On Shamrock fundraiser at The Canyon on March 17. The necklace sale kicks off the St. Patrick'sthemed dinner dance and auction, Wank said.

"Historically the Willow spring fundraiser has been an event geared exclusively to our parents, but this year we're reaching out to Willow alumni and Willow students as well," Wank said.

"I am going to be famous one day," said Willow fifth-grader Stephanie Lechman, referring to one of the sayings on the decorated guitar picks.

Wank's secondgrade daughter, Haley, also loves the necklaces and expects to collect all six styles. "Willow rocks and so do these necklaces," the youngster said.

The sale started on Tuesday and will end on Fri., Feb. 23. PFC representatives set up shop from 2:15 to 3 p.m. each day except on Wednesdays, when the sale begins at 12:35 p.m.

"The proceeds from the sale will directly benefit the continuation of Willow's music, PE and computer programs, areas that in recent years have largely been left to individual Parent Faculty Associations to fund," Wank said. "We are fortunate to still have these programs in place, and we're pulling out all the stops to secure their future here at Willow."

"We want students to collect them all," Willow PFA copresident Laly Ballard said. She said students from other local schools are welcome to drop by the school during the sale to purchase the necklaces.

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