Community Involvement Through Flower Arranging

Community members and fellow ag teacher friends!

It's official I love community projects. They require taking a few chances a few flower arranging dreams induced by nerves, but they are awesome. I don't think there was a better way to end my student teaching experience then with this workshop. After visiting The Factory Ministries with Mr. Masser and Mrs. VanSant at the beginning of the semester I new that this was the spot to host the community flower arranging event. After making the decision to do that, I applied for a grant through the Pequea Valley Education Foundation.

The last month consisted of preparing a wholesale flower account, teaching students how to make flower arrangements and corsages and boutonnieres, and transitioning them into the teachers so they could show the community members how to create the arrangements. I was pretty nervous this week...but the students ROCKED IT! Mr. Masser and Mrs. VanSant and I pulled in to The Factory with students waiting to help us unload and set up, they got right to work. Once the workshop started all I had to do was help with introductions and transitions and then the students ran the rest of the workshop. Some of those in attendance needed a little extra assistance and two ladies in particular sat with these community members and helped them the entire two hour workshop. 

I love that one of our students sat with this
little guy the whole time to help him.

I stood back a few times and just smiled, in all honesty Mr. Masser, Mrs. VanSant and I were not needed, sure we helped out and prompted the ladies with helpful hints to pull the group back together, but other than that, we were hands off. The Factory Ministries exists exists to empower others to strengthen their community. Because everyone’s journey matters, The Factory reaches out through The Factory House and our youth center with resources to help those who struggle with issues of poverty. For some of our students, this is a part of their community they do not see- which was neat for us teachers to experience with them.


One of the attendees at the workshop mentioned adult education classes, which I think would be awesome and a challenge all at the same time. Teaching adult learners is very different than teaching high school learners, and I think our students experienced that as well. Overall this was an awesome experience and a perfect way to serve the community and teach these students some great agriculture as well as career and people skills. Thank you to the Factory and The Pequea Valley Education Foundation for the support to put on this event. Can't wait to see how the partnership between The Factory and The Pequea Valley Agriculture Department grow!

The whole crew of helpers and newly trained florist! Thanks
Pequea Valley Education Foundation