Fundraising with love

Urban Agriculture Academy, Sugar Bears sell Valentine’s Day gifts

Senior+Emanuel+Lopez+sets+up+the+Urban+Agricultures+table+to+sell+floral+arrangements+during+lunch.+

Justin Diep

Senior Emanuel Lopez sets up the Urban Agriculture’s table to sell floral arrangements during lunch.

Adriana Valadez Cue, Section Editor

The first two weeks of February become known for its celebration of love for Valentine’s Day. During those weeks the Urban Agriculture academy’s plant science students make floral arrangements to sell during lunch. 

Prices for the arrangements range from $7-$20, allowing students to determine their work’s market value. This fundraising opportunity has become a bit of a tradition. 

“This will be year three that we’ve sold flowers over Valentine’s Day,” Urban Agriculture teacher Taylor Cooper said.  

It was not as successful as some of the other fundraisers they held, but any of the money they do earn goes right back into the plant science class to purchase new vases, flowers, and any new plants they want for the greenhouse. 

The idea came after many teachers asked to purchase the floral arrangements the class created. So, they decided to start selling them on Valentine’s Day because it was the perfect opportunity to sell the arrangements that the students made during class.  

The Sugar Bears also did a Valentine’s Day fundraiser with Sugar Grams. They offered three options from the small one was a note with a sucker for only $2, the second option still had the note and sucker but whoever received it would also get a keepsake bear which cost $5, and the final option had all previously mentioned but a candy bag is included but also offered as an option was for the team sing a song for the recipient. The Sugar Bears had a successful fundraiser and delivered orders during advisement on Feb 14. 

 “We did surprisingly like at the start of it our hopes were getting down because nobody was really coming up to us,” senior Sugar Bear member Lizze Mendrano said. “Then as the days go by more people were starting to feel bolder and were approaching us and buying some. So, I think we did make an abundance of sales.” 

 All the money raised goes back to the Sugar Bears for any fees the team needs to pay off. It was also a fun way for the team to fundraise some money for the team.  

“Yeah, it’s just a little fundraiser that we thought of, and we thought that should apply to us because I mean, it’s a pretty nice way in order to get people who want to confess or say anything else,” Mendrano said.

Freshman Brooklynn Orr received a Sugar Gram.

“I got these like Rice Krispy things in the shape of a heart and it came along with a note too,” Orr said.