ARLINGTON -- The students got an experience worthy of a resume entry.
The city got free plants and volunteer labor to put in floral displays at Arlington Municipal Cemetery.
"On Memorial Day, when some people are dealing with sadness and grief, I hope our flowers will lift their spirits," Leah Peek said.
Leah, an Arlington High School sophomore, is a member of Future Farmers of America and a student in the plant biology and horticulture classes taught by Tracy Brown. Along with classmates Colby Cavanaugh, Hailey Baker, James Donegan and MacKenzie Bergam, Leah spent a recent afternoon planting geraniums, petunias, lobelia and bacopa in several flower beds at the cemetery.
Arlington High School students grew the plants in class for the horticulture program's annual plant sale, which raised about $7,000 to help keep the school's large greenhouse operating next year.
With some plants left over from the sale, Brown was happy to oblige when city cemetery coordinator Barbara Butner called to ask for some help with a landscaping project.
"Along with learning to grow plants, students get life skills when they do community service projects," Brown said. "We're always looking for hands-on experiences."
City spokeswoman Kristin Banfield figures the students' work saved the city about $500, not a small amount in the current economy, she said.
"We're so appreciative and are hoping next year that the high school horticulture students can take on some other projects for the city," Banfield said. "These kids stepped up to help make the cemetery look pretty."
This week, students potted up tomato plants to take to retirement homes and prepared planters to be used as door prizes at the annual FFA awards banquets.
"I'm either going into landscaping or I'll run a greenhouse," Leah said. "Helping the city was a great experience and I'll do it again."
