Rockville High School Agriculture Students Ready For Holiday Sale

VERNON, CT — Students and staff in Rockville High School's Agricultural Science and Technology Education program have been busy making wreaths, porch pots, holiday centerpieces and birch reindeer that will be for sale, along with poinsettias, Christmas trees and students' crafts, at Thursday's FFA Holiday Sale.

The sale is scheduled from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the RHS ASTE building. The sale is a key fundraiser for the Rockville High School FFA chapter and gives ASTE students the opportunity to showcase some of the many of skills they learn.

Students grew the poinsettias, harvested the trees from a Christmas tree farm on land leased from the state
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and have been making wreaths and other items.

Making wreaths is not as easy as it seems, sophomore Maya Martin said.

"It's really hard!"

Sophomore Piper Jones joked it wasn't so bad.

"I thought it was going to be harder," she said.

The annual sale is a big deal for the FFA Chapter and gives students a chance to engage with the community, with program alumni and others, said Ashley Lanz, the department's animal science teacher.

"The Vernon public school system, in partnership with family and community, is committed to provide a quality education, with high expectations, in a safe environment where all students become independent learners and productive contributors to society," she said.

ASTE Chair Erika Bahler said students are making about 200 wreaths that will be for sale along with the birch
reindeer, Christmas trees and other items. They will be selling other items they have produced, she said.

"The Holiday Sale gives students practical and entrepreneurial experience because many agricultural businesses
produce holiday products this time of year," she said.

Devon Belknap, a sophomore, was particularly proud of the wreaths.

"We really want to make sure everything we do is as perfect as possible," Belknap said.