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Schools

Jewelry Designer Teresa Saputo Gives A Little Peace to Public Schools

A local jewelry designer's business model includes donating 10 percent of all proceeds to public education.

Finding a little peace while you're raising three children under the age of five can be a challenge. But that's exactly what Teresa Saputo felt back in 2005 when she began taking a weekly jewelry making class.

Six years later, the former marketing executive is living her dream designing handmade jewelry for her company A Little Peace, based in Bedford Corners and retailing at Beehive Co-op in Mount Kisco.

Life certainly hasn't slowed down for the mother of three children ages 11, 9 and 6. "I thought starting my own business would make my life with three young kids less crazy. I was wrong," said Saputo—but it has become even more fulfilling.

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Not only does she love designing the nature-inspired collection made with 10K gold, silver and precious and semi-precious stone elements, but her business model includes a 10 percent quarterly donation to the West Patent Elementary School Association and The Fund For Public Schools, a New York City-based initiative. Giving back is as much a part of A Little Peace as beautiful design. 

Growing up in Douglaston, Queens, Saputo experienced New York City public schools firsthand. And if attending Columbia University and launching her dream jewelry design business are any indication, she did just fine with that education. 

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"I am a fan of diversity, equality and open-minded spirit, and I believe all those things exist in public schools," said Saputo. "I am not saying they don't exist elsewhere. It's just that my experience is that they are easily found behind the walls of a public school. They can be really special places."

West Patent Elementary School is known for its diverse population and budget issues. may be affected by cuts. The nonprofit West Patent Elementary School Association raises money to help continue those programs.  

With children attending school in the Fox Lane district, Saputo has a special stake in the area's public schools. Patch caught up with the entreprenuer to find out what drives her dual passions and how she imparts her values onto her children. 

Patch: What kind of woman inspires A Little Peace designs? 

Teresa Saputo: The frantic females (they know who they are) who juggle jobs, careers, relationships, kids, kids' schedules, a social life, a home. Basically, the female who could use a little peace. 

Patch: When did you first develop your love of jewelry?

TS: I have always loved jewelry and maintained a gigantic rack of earrings that stood up against my wall in my bedroom since my ears were pierced in fourth grade. I fainted in the doctor's office that day from the stress of that procedure! My collection included feathers, parrots, lemon slices, and palm trees. As I matured, my taste got a little simpler.

Patch: You describe your designs as "unique handcrafted jewelry for public education." Why are you so passionate about public education?

TS: It is the great equalizer. 

Patch: What is missing from public school education that inspired you to establish this donation? 

TS: It is the dependency on the community to vote in the budget and the dependency on the health of the state and federal government that inspired me–it hasn't been a great time, obviously. I want to help in any small way I can.   

Patch: What concerns you most about Bedford public schools? 

TS: The 2012-2013 budget debate because I believe that further cuts will be tough to take. 

Patch: And the positives?

TS: The board and the superintendent have worked diligently to respond to the concerns of the community while maintaining the baseline integrity of our schools. They are great. 

Patch: How much have you donated so far? 

TS: I am a small growing company. The amount raised won't move any mountains but hopefully it is a start of something bigger.

Patch: Obviously philanthropy is a large part of your makeup. Do you encourage your children to donate their time and resources?

TS: They are young, so right now I just try to teach them to be good people. Namely to care about others, to be kind always to all different people and animals, and to always try to see past their little world—although that's pretty important to them right now, too. My hope is that they will also learn through their parents' acts the importance of kindness and giving back.  

Patch: How do you instill in them those values and lessons? 

TS: I let them do age-appropriate things like gathering up gently used toys and books for others, and putting together holiday packages for needier people in the community. When bad things happen like the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, we focus on how we can help and talk together about what we can do. We were okay when Japan beat the U.S. in the Women’s World Cup. My kids knew that that was a happy day for a country that had gone through so much. I was proud of them for understanding that.

Patch: What would you like your legacy to be? 

TS: A good family person and friend who also tried to give back to the world through work whenever possible. 

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