Instead of geometry equations and biology experiments, one class is creating mums and centerpieces. The students in the Floral Design program learn how to make floral arrangements, wreaths, cornucopias and more. This is the first year this program has been offered, and it counts as both an agriculture and an art credit.

“The students learn how different colors and shapes of flowers work together,” teacher Janie Pluenneke said. “They also learn about different shapes of arrangements and which kind of containers to use.”

It helps prepare the students for careers in floral design, whether it’s a flower shop or the floral section of a grocery store. It opens up lots of opportunities that wouldn’t be found elsewhere.

“It teaches the students something that they can walk out of the doors of the school and go get a job,” Pluenneke said.

The class does some seasonal things, such as Homecoming mums, Christmas wreaths and Valentine’s arrangements with roses and carnations.

“My favorite project was the mums,” sophomore Aubrey Swan said. “They were a lot of fun, very interesting.”

The students in the class learn lots of things not expected in a normal class, putting wire through flowers, working with visual elements of the arrangements and incorporating the flowers into interior design.

“I took this course because it looked like a lot of fun,” sophomore Lauren Hammond said. “And it counts as an Ag credit.”

The floral design class also does arrangements for weddings, clubs, organizations, wherever they are needed, with no charge for labor.

“I would like to see the class grow,” Pluenneke said. “It’s so unique, a great opportunity.”