Student florists selling plants
April 20, 2012 4:24PM
Updated: May 23, 2012 8:18AM
FRANKFORT — House of Blooms, the student-run greenhouse at Lincoln-Way East High School, will open for business April 30 and sell a variety of annuals and vegetable plants.
Students in the school’s Special Service’s Transition Program have been busy cultivating the impatiens, coleus, geraniums, petunias, marigolds, celosia, bacopa, verbena, lantana, tomato plants and pepper plants for months.
They plan to begin selling them at 8 a.m. April 30. The sale will run from 8 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. and from 1:45 to 3 p.m. that day in the school greenhouse, located behind the tennis courts, at 201 Colorado Ave.
“This year’s crop is outstanding,” said Lincoln-Way East Transitional Coordinator Joshua Kreske, who has been helping students cultivate the flowers since December. “The plants are healthy and looking beautiful. Past customers have stated that the flowers they purchased from us last year looked fantastic all summer long and that they are excited to return to our greenhouse this year.”
About 40 students have been involved in the project, which was initiated by Lincoln-Way East’s Special Services Department. The goal is to help students learn various job skills.
Students have been working in East’s Special Services greenhouse each day, learning everything from how the greenhouse operates to the different parts of plants. They have named their business House of Blooms.
“The combination of the hands-on, real life experience along with the development of the greenhouse curriculum serves as a meaningful educational opportunity,” said Carolyn Brescia, the coordinator of special services at Lincoln-Way East
This is the second year students have sold the fruits of their labor.
Students plan to sell the geraniums for $3 a six-pack or $18 for a flat. All other annuals will be sold for $2 for a six-pack or $12 for a flat.
The potted plants, including Wandering Jew and Swedish Ivy, will be sold for $5 a plant.
The vegetable plants will be sold at various prices.
Proceeds will be used to further develop transitional opportunities and experiences for the East students in Special Services.
