Morristown-Beard sophomore Harrison Kern ’17 recently turned his passion for jewelry making into a way to help others.

Kern, who studied jewelry making with teacher Jeanine Erickson as part of an Independent Study project last year, sold his pieces at Bottle Hill Day in Madison last month to benefit Officer Dave Cuozzo, a Union Police Officer and a Madison resident who became ill with a rare viral infection that has paralyzed him from the neck down.

Kern sold bracelets, earrings, and necklaces at the town festival, and surpassed his ambitious goal to raise $1,000 for Officer Cuozzo — finishing with $1,051.16 to help the Cuozzo family. He sold out about 30 minutes before the festival ended.

“It made me feel good knowing that I was helping someone, and that I was spearheading my own service project,” said Kern. “At the same time, the people who bought my jewelry also felt good because they were doing something to contribute to the cause.”

Harrison’s mother, Adrienne Kern, said she was thrilled to see his community service project grow from an idea to a huge success.

“We are grateful to Morristown-Beard School and to Ms. Erickson for fostering an environment that allowed him to put his creative talents to work,” she said. “He has become passionate about his jewelry making, and it is wonderful to see it grow into a philanthropic venture.”

Although Kern has never met Officer Cuozzo, he recently emailed him, and hopes to meet him in person sometime soon.