Nimitz FFA Members Use Floral Skills to Volunteer at Rose Parade
Tuesday, January 23, 2024 | Author: Texas FFA News
Members of Nimitz FFA took the opportunity to showcase skills they learned in their ag education classes to construct one-of-a-kind floats at the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.
For the annual historic parade on January 1st, every inch of every float must be covered with flowers or other natural materials, such as leaves, seeds, or bark.
"There were thousands of flowers there; we had to start cutting them and cleaning them immediately," said Melissa Cruz, Nimitz FFA member. "It was a lot of hard work!"
Rebecca Valdovinos, one of the Nimitz FFA advisors, had previously worked on the Portland, Oregon Rose Parade and was familiar with the skills required for participation. She knew her students would be up to the task and signed them up to volunteer.
"The students were in awe of the enormity of the floats," said Valdovinos. "They were excited to work on something different each day and then see the culmination of their hard work on the parade route."
Eight students participated and spent three days working on the floats for Honda, the San Diego Zoo, and the Boys and Girls Club of America.
The students believe it was an experience they will never forget; one they hope Nimitz High School can make a tradition.
"It was really amazing," said Jamie Medina, Nimitz FFA member. "Hopefully, other students get to experience it as well; it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
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