Newtown Greenery In Full Bloom

By Larissa Lytwyn

Newtown Greenery, Newtown High School’s first of six Nighthawks Entrepreneurships, is offering a special fall clearance sale.

Large mums and asters are now $15; pansies and small mum plants are $3. All proceeds fund the high school’s greenery program.

“We have about 60 students participate each year,” said teacher Kristin Violette. “The program is open to juniors and seniors.” Certified in floral design, Ms Violette also holds a master’s in technology and teaching certification in English.

“We have about 15 students in the class right now,” she said. “It’s an elective under the school’s Fine and Applied Arts Department.”

Since Ms Violette began teaching the program five years ago, she implemented a floral design supplement. “In the past, students have made corsages for dances,” she said. “Right now we make Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah centerpieces, among other projects.”

For Halloween, students are preparing unique combinations of orange and black carnations.

“A lot of our arrangements are featured at area establishments,” she said, “such as the centerpieces at My Place Restaurant.”

Newtown Greenery has also left a colorful mark on the grounds of Newtown High School.

Various regional distributors have supplied bulbs over the years. “It’s hard to have someone work with us, because we’re so small,” said Ms Violette. “We have requests for 500 flowers, not thousands.”

Students also take turns running the Greenery’s stand, located in Newtown High School’s front lobby. “When they aren’t there, we also help run it,” said secretary Marianne Corbo. Ms Corbo plans to pick up a pink mum plant for her daughter’s upcoming baby shower. “It’s a great program,” she said. “The flowers just brighten everything up!”

Running the school greenhouse is George Bachman, who established the program about eight years ago. “We all really enjoy it,” he said.

To place an order, or for more information, contact Newtown Greenery at 426-4020.