Members of the Liberty County High and Bradwell Institute FFA Chapters, including Marissa Kemp and Lexie Schaeffer, recently attended the statewide FFA Floral Design Career Development Event training at Camp John Hope. The workshop was designed to strengthen students’ floral design skills while building confidence in their creative abilities.

This year’s training was led by industry professionals Randy Wooten (RW Wholesale), Toni Jones (Designs by TTOC Floral), Howie Luitjens (Howies Floral), Celia Matthews (Artistic Floral), Vanessa Glover (A Touch of Glover), Evan Bloodworth (South Georgia Florals), Kasey Moore (Moore Flower Company), and Catherine Crosby. Their expertise and demonstrations provided students with valuable insight into current floral design trends and techniques.

Advisors and students were divided into junior (sixth-ninth grade) and senior (10th–12th grade) sessions to allow for focused, skill-appropriate instruction. Participants created bud vases, boutonnieres, corsages, centerpieces, and bouquets while practicing industry- recognized design principles such as balance, proportion, scale, emphasis, and harmony.

“The amount of expertise that students and teachers have access to during the floral design clinic is unmatched,” LCHS agriculture teacher Jeci Bohannon said of the experience. “The real- world scenarios, oneon- one assistance, and hands-on experience are what make the clinic awesome.”

The Floral Design Career Development Event, scheduled for this fall, will provide students with an opportunity to showcase their talents in a competitive setting. The top two individuals from each of the six area events will advance to the state competition in December at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.