A Tradition Begins
In 2011, Aida Leisure, owner of Silver Linings, noticed an emerging trend in gift giving, particularly for occasions like high school and college graduations. Traditional gifts of fine jewelry and lasting keepsakes were being replaced by tech gadgets and less personal objects that quickly become obsolete.
That’s when Aida made the decision to keep the tradition of giving fine jewelry to graduates alive. Between 2011–2023, Silver Linings has gifted almost 2,800 Pearls of Promise Necklaces to every young woman high school graduate in Talbot County, Maryland, and Kent County, Maryland, where our stores are located. Pearls are a symbolic gift for the graduates, most of whom were born and raised on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, an area famous for the Eastern Oyster.
In 2020, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Pearls of Promise, we expanded the program to the national level and made the Pearls of Promise Necklace available to purchase for any high school and college graduates not in Kent or Talbot counties, MD.
Why Pearls?
Simply put, pearls are timeless.
Pearls form within the soft tissue of a living oyster when a tiny foreign object is introduced. The oyster forms a protective layer of nacre around this foreign object, resulting in a beautiful pearl.
“Every young woman in Talbot and Kent Counties, Maryland, will now own and wear a classic piece of jewelry, since I began the program in 2011,” says Aida. “It may be the predominant accessory she wears for professional interviews. It very well could be worn on her wedding day, and she might even pass the necklace on to a child in future years. Even if she never purchases or receives another piece of fine jewelry in her life, she will always have her Pearls of Promise. I am very excited to now be including the young women of Kent County, Maryland, in this program. The future is bright with these new generations.”
Aida also wants to ensure that young women nationwide have the opportunity to purchase at an affordable price a Pearls of Promise Necklace, as a beautiful remembrance of her high school or college graduation. Both are accomplishments worthy of such acknowledgement.
“Every young woman in Talbot County, Maryland will now own and wear a classic piece of jewelry, since I began the program in 2011,” says Aida. “It may be the predominant accessory she wears for professional interviews. It very well could be worn on her wedding day, and she might even pass the necklace on to a child in future years. Even if she never purchases or receives another piece of fine jewelry in her life, she will always have her Pearls of Promise. I am very excited to now be including the young women of Kent County, Maryland, in this program. The future is bright with these new generations.”
Aida also wants to ensure that young women nationwide have the opportunity to purchase at an affordable price a Pearls of Promise Necklace, as a beautiful remembrance of her high school or college graduation. Both are accomplishments worthy of such acknowledgement.
Pearls of Promise FAQs
Q: How can I get a Pearls of Promise Necklace?
A: If you are graduating from any high school in Talbot County, MD or Kent County, MD, then you will receive a free necklace as a gift from Silver Linings. Anyone else may purchase a necklace online or in our stores.
Q: Is the Pearls of Promise program run by the schools?
A: No, the Pearls of Promise program was developed by Silver Linings' owner as a way to give back to the community and support local young women graduates.
Q: Are the pearls real?
A: Yes! Every Pearls of Promise Necklace is made of about 70-75 carefully selected freshwater pearls, hand-strung with fine silk thread, and finished with a sterling silver clasp.
The Necklace
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Every Pearls of Promise Necklace is made from genuine cultured freshwater pearls. They are hand knotted, and finished with a sterling silver clasp. The necklace is available in an 18″ length, and retails for $75.00.
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Pearls of Promise
Celebrating Graduates
Pearls of Promise Alumnae
