Author Archives: Troy Schmidt

On May 30, Erin and Jim have been invited to the MOXI children’s science museum in Santa Barbara to take part in a “Game On!” night they’re sponsoring.  It’ll focus on videogames like Mario Brothers – and Minecraft!  Erin and Jim are setting up a booth on behalf of VGMS on the rocks, minerals, and sediments of Minecraft with hands-on activities including a “mini-mine” for Minecraft rocks, a display of the “REAL” rocks of the Minecraft virtual world, and an opportunity for kids to craft Minecraft rock cubes of their own.

The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society (VGMS) is pleased to announce its 2026 Scholarship Honoree: Noah White. Press Release

Noah is a Moorpark High School senior whose passion for geology was fostered by a childhood exploring nature and collecting rocks, gems, fossils, meteorites, and gold along the way. Already a member of the Geological Society of America, he plans to major in geology at a California four-year university to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree and is anxiously awaiting replies to his many applications. He would then like to go on to graduate school and eventually enter a career as a licensed geologist in California.
Noah was honored based on his academic record, an essay describing his educational goals, and letters-of-recommendation, including one from the Moorpark Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Kelli Hays, who has worked with Noah the past two years as part of the Superintendent’s Student Leadership Forum. She praised not only his academic success as a member of the National Honor Society and a Scholar Athlete in track and field but also his commitment to his school community and to broader community service projects as Vice President of the Moorpark High School Change for Charity Club. Noah received a $1,000 unrestricted grant, a certificate-of acknowledgement, and honorary VGMS membership.
This annual scholarship grant may be used in whatever ways best meet the recipient’s needs, be it tuition, books, housing, transportation, etc. Potential recipients may be a graduating high school senior accepted to a college program, a 2- or 4-year college student, or a graduate student.
Applicants must be majoring in one of the earth sciences or in another field directly relevant to the mission of VGMS (for instance, science education or gemology and jewelry arts). If interested in further details, contact VGMS at info@vgms.org. Visit our website at www.vgms.org.

In March we visited multiple private rockyards and were allowed to sort through tons and tons of great material. Our participants found wonderful rough, slabs and even some specimens at bargain prices!

Our show in 2025 was a great success. A big thank you to everyone who came to support us!

Our next show will be March 7-8, 2026…you won’t want to miss it.

On January 14, 2025, the Board of Supervisors of Ventura County recognized VGMS with a “Proclamation Honoring Ventura Gem and Mineral Society Upon Their 80th Anniversary Celebrating a Legacy of Education, Community, and Excellence in Earth Sciences.”

Each year, VGMS installs an exhibit in the glass display case gracing the main reading room of downtown Ventura’s E. P. Foster Library. This year was no different. On the morning of February 1, several members gathered: Robert Seaton, Brett Johnson, Brett Bednorz, Art Lopez, and Nancy and Jim Brace-Thompson. David Springer also took part from afar, having passed along a sphere for display at our last club meeting.

The exhibit both promotes our March show and educates the community about our society and the many facets of our hobby. Thus, we showed off a wide range of specimens: fossils, rocks and minerals, lapidary and jewelry work, and beading. We augmented the specimens with photos showing activities within the club and within the community at large. Also, because this is in a library, we included a small array of books about minerals, fossils, and lapidary arts, and Robert arranged for a selection of books from the library itself to be on display in a bookshelf alongside our exhibit.