MOUNT VERNON — The Christmas season is upon us, and horticulture students at the Knox County Career Center are busy preparing organic decorations to deck the halls or spruce up an entryway.
As part of the annual FFA fundraiser, the horticulture lab is selling red, pink and white poinsettias, basic or decorated evergreen wreaths, centerpieces of assorted designs, crosses and grave blankets.
“It’s also what we do in horticulture,” said instructor Craig Campbell. “If you work in a garden center, you do the same thing. A greenhouse, a garden center, makes wreaths and centerpieces, grows poinsettias and operates as a business. This gives our students experience in those areas.”
Student Aimee Gillespie enjoys working on Christmas projects and especially likes the floral design part.
“You get to make it your own idea,” she said. “You get to be creative and make it yours.”
Gillespie’s favorite endeavor is making the grave blankets because “it is relaxing and fun to work on them. And you get to see how pretty they are. It is a challenge to weave the sticks in correctly.”
Items may be purchased, while supplies last, in the horticulture lab on school days from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., beginning Friday, or at the open house this evening.
