A Year of Learning Ahead

Greetings, Smiths!

Thank you for electing me to serve on the board. I’m passionate about blacksmithing education and excited to serve as ABANA’s Education Chair. We have a great Education Team and Education Committee with a wide range of expertise dedicated to supporting you in your blacksmithing journey. We also have big themes this year around Conference, All Year Education, and Expanding Resources. ABANA has lots of upcoming education opportunities in 2024 for every level and skill set.

ABANA Conference:
At our 50th Anniversary Conference in June, we’ll have a dedicated Education Area focusing on the National Curriculum. There will be a beginner’s tent, a hands-on tent where you can try out Level I and Level II projects and techniques, and an interactive demonstration tent to show you tips and tricks on forging and putting together the Level II and Level III grilles. We invite everyone to bring your projects and grilles to the Conference in June; we’ll have members of the Education Team at the Education Area available to answer questions, provide feedback and also sign you off for certification for all three levels.

All Year Education:
We have a great line-up of online Zoom classes in the works for 2024. First up is the National Curriculum Level II with 5 monthly sessions starting this January and running through May. This series of classes covers all the projects and techniques students need to complete Level II certification, including how to put together the final grille. The National Curriculum classes include small-group coaching sessions with a curriculum instructor to provide feedback on your work as you progress. Later in the year, we’ll be offering another round of Level I for students seeking Level I certification. The Level I series provides a solid foundation in blacksmithing basics. Also, be on the lookout for one-off classes; we have some fun surprises in the works.

Expanding Resources:
We are working to provide resources in different formats so that you have more ways of accessing the educational resources of ABANA. For those of you learning on your own, we are editing and uploading previous class videos, so check out the ABANA YouTube channel for these and don’t forget to hit the subscribe button! There are also articles in back issues of Hammer’s Blow that cover many of the National Curriculum projects and techniques.

Issue Highlights:
Hammer’s Blow is our magazine dedicated to education. In this issue of the Hammer’s Blow you’ll find some great articles to support your learning, including a chance to nerd out on the use and care of your files (Pro tip: Get a file card!), an inspirational look into creating and installing a butterfly wall panel, a look into the business of blacksmithing, and more. I’m personally pretty excited to forge a wine rack!

Part of ABANA’s mission is to provide educational opportunities and content for ABANA members and the blacksmithing community, and we’d love to hear from you about how we can best support YOU! Please feel free to reach out to me via email or to the Education Committee with feedback and questions. Let us know what’s on your mind!

– Becky Schimpff, ABANA Education Committee Chair