Herkimer agriculture students design festive displays

Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School students in various agriculture classes recently boosted holiday spirit at the school with projects they worked on.

Students in the landscape design class, home maintenance class and agriculture, food and natural resources class – along with FFA members – made flower arrangements as holiday centerpieces.

Landscape design students also created a festive display for the sign at the entrance to the Jr./Sr. High School.

“Using balsam fir and white pine tree boughs donated from Massoud’s Tree Farm in Sauquoit, students designed, built and arranged two winter planters and a large wreath for all to see,” Herkimer agriculture teacher Talia Baker said. “The landscape design students are able to put their learning into action by demonstrating creativity and principles of design while using practical skills for outdoor arrangements. Constructing the wreath also provided real time problem solving skills when ensuring the stability and shape of the structure.”

Herkimer Central School District offers various agriculture classes at the Jr./Sr. High School. For middle school, students in sixth grade can take an agriculture enrichment course to learn about the basics of where our food comes from, and every student in eighth grade will take Ag Tech8 for one quarter. In high school this year, agriculture classes offered are animal science; home maintenance; landscape design; and agriculture, food and natural resources. On alternate years, the offerings are vet science; horticulture; food production; and agriculture, food and natural resources.

To create the holiday centerpiece designs in the multiple agriculture classes, students used fresh balsam boughs, multiple types of flowers and holiday accents such as glitter, leaves and ornaments donated by teachers and staff, Baker said.

Some students were able to design flower arrangements to bring home. Others designed centerpieces to sell for the Herkimer FFA Chapter, and funds will be used for students to attend competitions later this winter.

Landscape design students posing with a wreath at the high school entrance sign

Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School landscape design students Hailey Gerhardt, a freshman, and John Filipczuk, a sophomore, pose outside with the wreath that the class made at the entrance sign to the Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.

Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School landscape design students Althea Brown, a senior; John Filipczuk, a sophomore; and Hailey Gerhardt, a freshman, make a wreath with chicken wire for display at the entrance sign to the Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.

Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School landscape design students Hailey Gerhardt, a freshman, and John Filipczuk, a sophomore, head outside to set up the festive display the class made for the entrance sign to the Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.

Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School agriculture, food and natural resources students Nick Lamanna, a senior, and Brady Saunders, a junior, create holiday centerpieces in class.

Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School home maintenance students Josh DiPierro, a junior, and Julianna Mashtare, a senior, create holiday centerpieces in class.

Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School landscape design student Hailey Gerhardt, a freshman, heads outside with materials for a festive display at the entrance sign to the Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.