Student Skills Blossom with Bridge City ISD Program 

Educators and trustees from Bridge City ISD beamed as students worked in a flurry of petals, stems, and ribbons to provide hundreds of little bouquets to attendees of TASB’s Governance Camp in March. The Bridge City High School Flower Factory demonstration was a hit. 

The floral design career and technical education program has been a big hit in the 3,000-student district east of Beaumont, too. Over the last eight years, it has grown from four classes with a part-time teacher to a 150-student program with two dedicated instructors. It includes a monthly flower market that gives students a real-world setting to test a variety of skills. 

“The monthly flower market gives our students the opportunity to create a market where they learn the whole process of purchasing, pricing, and marketing to the school and the public,” said Debbie Gregg, who came out of retirement after 30 years of teaching art to start the high school program in Bridge City. 

Entrepreneurial Experience 

Students are assigned different jobs like cashier, bouquet wrappers, and cleanup crews, said Gregg. Students can earn two levels of certification through the Texas State Floral Association, which gives them an opportunity to get a job in the floral industry. 

“This year, we also added Flower of the Month arrangements that are created and sent out the same week as our market,” said Kayla Worthington, Gregg’s counterpart in the CTE program. “We have teachers and staff on our campus and our neighboring middle school campus who subscribe to these each month.” 

Beyond the monthly markets, the floral design program engages in meaningful projects, such as creating arrangements with encouraging notes for Mental Health Awareness Month. The hands-on program cultivates not only professional skills but also community engagement for the students. 

"The flower design program is a perfect example of how Bridge City ISD is preparing students for success beyond the classroom,” said Superintendent Mike Kelly. “Through this program, our students are developing real-world skills, earning industry certifications, and learning the value of hard work, creativity, and community service. We are incredibly proud of the impact our students and teachers are making."