Bear Blooms is green therapy for students

by Trinity Gruenberg

trinity@inhnews.com

Piper Dean and Emery Winkler sorted through the flower order.

Green therapy was the description given by a student about the Bear Blooms floral class and entrepreneur club.

Art Teacher Michelle Olson has an extensive background as a florist, beginning by working in a flower shop when she was a sophomore in high school. She even owned her own floral business in Henning.

“It’s a skill not many people have anymore,” explained Olson.

Whether it’s for personal use, or to work in the field, it’s a handy skill to have.

Student Katie Kern used her skills for an FFA floriculture competition and scored 96/100, a near-perfect score.

“I used a lot of skill from this class for that,” said Kern.

When Olson was hired as the art teacher at the Bertha-Hewitt School, the administration suggested she could have a floral design class. She was sold on the idea.

Olson began teaching floral design last year, selecting students with leadership and other skills the class would be a good fit for, opening it up to high schoolers. . .

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