This spring, staff at our Middlesex location recently pulled together and donated more than 100 roses, 50 carnations and many other flowers and greens, flower food packets and vintage jars to share with students of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center chapter in Newport, NH.
Green Mountain Floral Supply Middlesex customer Debbie Stevens has taught floral design and animal and plant science classes at the Tech Center in Newport for almost 25 years and serves as advisor to this FFA chapter.
The National FFA Organization is an American youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education. The organization was founded in 1928 as Future Farmers of America, but in 1988 the name was changed to the National FFA Organization, now commonly referred to as simply FFA, to recognize that the organization is for those with diverse interests in the food, fiber and natural resource industries, encompassing science, business and technology in addition to production agriculture.
Today FFA is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States. The National FFA Organization is a dynamic youth leadership organization that strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agriculture education. High school students compete in various events called Career Development Events (CDEs) and Leadership Development Events. Students are supervised by education teachers in cooperation with parents, employers and other adults who assist individuals in the development and achievement of educational and career goals.
When Debbie reached out for help to support her 50 students participating in a floriculture career development event at the University of New Hampshire in March, we knew this was perfectly aligned with our desire to support continuing education opportunities in floriculture.
During that event held March 7th, students participated in a timed floral design component and were given a scenario to design an arrangement to meet its specifications.
“Your company’s support for the floriculture career development was greatly appreciated. I love my content and am passionate about it, but to help kids find that special brilliance inside of them,” Stevens says, “that’s the best part of my job.”
At the end of March, the Chapters’ student members attended the FFA state convention to find their floriculture team had placed first and will represent NH and their Chapter at the National FFA Convention in fall 2025.
We extend our sincere appreciation to Mrs. Stevens for inspiring a deep passion for floriculture in the next generation.
