After working with an FFA member in his floral shop, Randy Wooten fell in love with the concept of training students and cultivating new designers in the industry. As a result, 10 years ago he founded a statewide floral design clinic, which is held in conjunction with the Georgia FFA Association and Georgia State Florist Association each year.
“I thought it was an excellent way to expose young adults to our industry and hopefully spark some interest,” Wooten says.
Gaining New Skills
Currently, the clinic is offered to around 200 agriculture students and Georgia FFA advisors each year. Participants learn how to design creations such as a pocket or traditional boutonniere and wrist corsage with materials that could be found in the classroom or at home. Advanced designs like bouquets and water-based designs are also available for more experienced participants.
Participants learn to create multiple floral designs under the guidance of industry professionals.
Throughout the event, these hands-on experiences are combined with shared industry expertise. Selected professionals instruct students on how to reasonably price their arrangements, keep up with industry trends and make their arrangements last longer.
“Participants get to touch flower products, and they sit in with an experienced designer and actually create something,” Wooten says. “Many students in the classroom don’t have this kind of opportunity.”
According to Brittaney Schwing, a Georgia FFA south region horticulture teacher, this event fulfills the three-component model found in agricultural education. In addition to receiving classroom/laboratory instruction related to floral design, participants can compete in the Georgia FFA floral design career development event (CDE) and floriculture CDE and, if interested, create a supervised agriculture experience (SAE) focused on floral design.
Applying Knowledge to an SAE
This was the case for Rebecca Clark, an FFA member from Liberty County. Clark attended the Georgia FFA floral design clinic two years ago, then placed second at the Georgia FFA State Floral Design CDE in 2023. She says attending the event helped her learn floral design basics as well as express her creativity and discover how to explain floral design to others.
After placing second in her state’s floral design CDE, Rebecca Clark (right) continues to apply her skills and knowledge through an SAE.
As part of her SAE, Clark designs arrangements for weddings and events. She also focuses on teaching others about floral design, in hopes that another member from her chapter will fill her spot in the floral design CDE team after she graduates this year.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have an agriculture teacher who has experience in floral design, but many counties do not have that,” she says. “[This event] gives students a chance to interact with professionals and people who are knowledgeable in this area.”
Test Yourself
If you’re interested in diving deeper into floral design, consider participating in the floriculture CDE this spring. Learn more about the competition at ffa.org/participate/cdes/floriculture, and access the National FFA Floriculture Resources folder at ffa.box.com/s/kbw6jmo0mmujxqgc2xf4y5t6em3k784r.
