Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Floral Design Course Helps Blossom Student Creativity

“It’s oddly therapeutic, getting to arrange things; it’s like another form of art where you can express yourself.” Mikayla Gist, Carroll Senior High School Floral Design student, says as she works on a holiday floral arrangement that features roses, cinnamon sticks and bunches of pine needles.

In its second year as an elective option for students, the Floral Design program has provided a unique and nontraditional way for students to create beautiful works of art. Carroll Senior High School currently offers four Floral Design I sections and one Floral Design II section. In these classes, students learn everything from floral identification to the actual business side of running a company.

For teacher Johanna Belwood, it’s all about giving her students an experience that resembles the actual daily life of a florist or business owner.

“Being a CTE class, I want my students to have real-world experience and make a product that is going to be used,” Belwood states. “Making something that is really going into someone’s house makes all the difference in the world.”

Currently, both classes are working on holiday arrangements that are available for the public to purchase. Eden Monrad, a senior in the program, enjoys working on a project that the community can display during the holidays.

“Knowing someone is spending their own money on pieces that we work on really makes us want to work hard on making them nice,” Monrad says.

Belwood is in her second year with Carroll ISD and appreciates all the support the community has shown for the program. The students have created floral arrangements for local businesses, district events, and even wedding rehearsal dinners. While creating these beautiful pieces is exciting, Belwood’s favorite part of the class is seeing kids realize they can express themselves through their floral designs.

“I have so many kids say they took this class because they can’t draw or they aren’t artistic and it’s a fun way for them to discover that yes they are,” Belwood says. “There are so many ways to be artistic and flowers are just one way of them.”

Currently, the program has a limited supply of the holiday arrangements still available. If you are interested in purchasing an arrangement, click here. All proceeds from sales go directly back to the program and help students create even more unique pieces of art.

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