The New Mexico State University College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences floral team won regional and national awards at this year’s competitions.
Ten members attended the national competition in July, sponsored by the American Institute of Floral Designers Annual Symposium in Chicago, Illinois, and placed first, second and fifth. Six members of the floral team attended the regional competition in August, sponsored by the West Texas-New Mexico Floral Design Convention in Lubbock, Texas, and placed first, second and third, along with a people’s choice award.
“I’m super proud of them,” said Sabine Green, floriculture program coordinator and floral team’s faculty adviser. “This national competition has been extremely difficult and it’s very prestigious. We have only been eligible to go to this national competition for the last four years, so this is the first time we have placed first.”
The floral team was initiated in the 1980s but dissolved in the 1990s, until it was reestablished in 2003 when Green became faculty adviser. Rather than just being a chartered organization, the floral team has developed a floriculture curriculum to better prepare students for future careers, while also allowing academic creativity.
Sabrina Montoya, NMSU student and president of the floral team, won the people’s choice award at the regional competition.
“Being with the floral team has really opened a lot of doors, especially as a person in horticulture, but also going to competitions has opened a lot of doors for future careers,” Montoya said. “The people are so nice, and you get to interact with a lot of people from the community and other clubs too, it is really eye opening.”
Rhiannon Rodriguez, NMSU student and vice president of the floral team, competed in both competitions and won first and second place at the regional competition.
“The team and competitions have been so fun and amazing,” Rodriguez said. “The floral designs are extremely artistic, and I have been really grateful with the friends I have made. The team members have gotten so close and just created a big family, it’s been awesome.”
RyLee Kelly, NMSU student and treasurer for the floral team, has not only had a positive experience with the competitions but learned other activities to implement within their team.
“It was great to be able to see everyone’s capabilities and what we’re up against, what people are doing in other states and other cities,” Kelly said. “It was a huge eye opener for some really cool, fun fundraising ideas that we could bring back to the school and use to fundraise more money for competitions in the future.”
Green said that students not only learn how to work with flowers, but also learn leadership and peer mentoring skills to help with their journey as a florist.
“It’s hard not to have fun with flowers,” Green said. “I feel like I cheat when I’m trying to create fun for my students, because the curriculum in and of itself makes it really easy to find smiles. I feel like in this group, my job is not hard. They have some innate talent, it’s just a matter of bringing it out in them and grooming it a little bit.”
For more information on the floral team, visit https://floralteam.nmsu.edu/.
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CUTLINE: The New Mexico State University College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences floral team won regional and national awards at this year’s competitions. (Courtesy photo)