Students at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies are gearing up for annual poinsettia sale

For Immediate Release – November 25, 2025

Students at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies are gearing up for annual poinsettia sale

IRMO – Students in the Agricultural Education program at The Center work together to grow the plants. There are three pathways at The Center in the Agricultural Education program, BioSystems, Environmental and Natural Resources, and Vet Science. All three pathways use the funds from the sale to support The Center’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter and the activities the organization participates in throughout the year.  

“We start the poinsettias from rooted cuttings the first week of August,” Agricultural and Bio-systems Engineering teacher Kevin Sox said. “Our FFA student officers come in before the school year and plant the poinsettias in the greenhouse.  During the fall semester our first year Ag Science students take care and grow the poinsettia. They must be pinched, which creates lateral branching, watered, fertilized and spaced out. These are lessons reinforced during the plant science unit in the Ag Science course.  This provides a hands-on real-world project for the students.” 

The poinsettias will be sold starting Monday, December 8 through December 10 until sold out. The community can purchase the poinsettias that come in red, pink, white or speckled at The Center greenhouse located at 916 Mount Vernon Church Road in Chapin. The greenhouse will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to the public that week until all of the plants are sold. 

The poinsettias come in six and a half inches ($15) and eight and a half inches ($25) complete with a foil decoration and a bow. The students also learn to tie bows and wrap the poinsettias with decorative foil to create a florist quality plant.  Customers are urged to pay with cash or a check made payable to The Center. For larger orders, reach out to Kevin Sox by email at ksox@lexrich5.org. 

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