Emma Smith and Corynne Emmerson are making a difference, one pair of earrings at a time. The two West Salem fifth-graders sell their handmade jewelry at Tinkerings on East Main in Salem, and all proceeds go to the Salem Animal Shelter.

Since mid-January, they’ve sold about eight pairs.

Smith was the catalyst for “Earrings for Animals.” While on a family beach trip over Christmas break, she collected seashells, combing the beach to find near-perfect matches. She’d learned to make earrings while on a trip to Beads Indeed. When she returned, she asked Emmerson to be her partner in the project.

Both girls came up with the logo for the packaging and approached Tinkerings owner Katrina Baker, who gave the wares a prime location next to the cash register.

“I was really happy with the spot that she chose and how it was displayed,” Emmerson said.

Smith’s family has two dogs, a beagle and a West Terrier mix, and Emmerson’s family has one, a golden retriever. They are experimenting with different materials for earrings, too, like sequins, more beads, and chains, the said.

-Miranda Beck