Known for their hospitality and ability to beautify the NC campus, Greenhouse Gang (GHG) welcomed their beloved annual end-of-the-year plant sale the week of May 8, 2023. From August to May, members of this club worked diligently to help out in any way they could and grow thousands of plants to sell. 

Utilizing their new leadership board, NC’s Greenhouse Gang ensured newcomers and returners of their new student-led initiative at the start of the year. The club’s student leaders created ideas and decided which plants to grow, cultivate, and sell while also receiving new opportunities to sharpen their skills. 

“Our leadership board was invited to attend a work session at a sustainable farm. While unable to go this year, Greenhouse Gang continues offering opportunities to learn new things and become active in the community. Through our outdoor garden, donations and plants, we actively participate in Farm to Table,” said sophomore and GHG board member Citlalli Vela. 

The club’s celebratory fundraiser showcased colorful, lush greenery from succulents to big red tomatoes for the NC community and all of the plant-loving people of Kennesaw. Throughout the days of the plant sale, the gates opened for peers to survey NC’s senior courtyard, the site of the sale in awe at the abundance of plants filling every crevice. While students swarmed in the cafeteria each day, Greenhouse Gang set up an additional sale location in the cafeteria, creating an opportunity for NC students and teachers to purchase plants during their lunch period. 

“Throughout the two years I’ve been involved in the Greenhouse Gang, the location change to the front of the school was a fantastic idea. More people were aware of the sale, and more students, teachers and parents came out. Talking to customers and helping them decide what they should buy while learning about their personal lives too, was such a rewarding part of the sale,” said junior GHG member Sarah Abdallah.  

During school, students excitedly took home various items such as herbs, veggies and indoor plants that piqued their interest, accompanied by blooming flowers to gift to their mothers. After school, the sale continued, and the construction class also exhibited the woodcraft objects they spent the entirety of the year creating for purchase. 

“The turnout was amazing. Students were lining up at our display in the cafeteria and teachers were excited to reserve and purchase plants. It was great to see the community show up to support our club. It makes all the challenges worth it in the end. Greenhouse Gang tends to be a quiet Club so selling in a bigger space directly in front of students helped us sell and connect to the school,” Vela said. 

As the weekend approached, the club anticipated Saturday as the highest-selling day, similar to the previous year. The Saturday sale featured ice-cold lemonade served by the Able Warrior club members to refresh customers under the beaming sun. Numerous visitors left with bunches of daisies, beautiful assortments of hanging baskets and charming Zinnias. Customers expressed disbelief and left praises to the club for the plentiful amount of plants grown throughout the year. 

 “It’s always nice to meet people in the community who appreciate the efforts of our students. It’s also nice to be able to showcase our students and their talents” said MOID Paraprofessional Lorelle Locurto.

In comparison to prior sales which took place in the greenhouse, this school year, a last-minute location change ensued due to a neighboring building on campus undergoing renovations.  The club transported hundreds of plants to the courtyard prior to the sale which took massive efforts by General ED students, the Able Warriors club, the faculty of NC and random students. Along with an intense workload approaching the planting season, the club divided their meetings into two days and ran until 5:15 p.m. Selling new items and pinpointing water access, Greenhouse members demonstrated resilience, flexibility and problem-solving skills every step of the way. 

“Despite the last-minute change and having to allow for double man hours to move all our product to a new location, it was nice to capture the car line crowd. I love that our Greenhouse Gang is so inclusive collaborating with our General Ed students and Able Warriors. I also love watching our students grow in this experience. Each student has unique skills and passions, and this year’s wow factor was the students who shop during lunch got to see all the plants that we have been nurturing,” Locurto said. 

Gallery • 11 Photos

Mia Courtney

As the end of the year approaches, the members of GHG never ended their efforts to make the plant sale of 2023 a success. Through numerous difficulties trying to unmotivate them, they persevered with aid from the NC community. The sale reigned triumphantly. Now come on an adventure through the week's events of the plant sale.

Although their sale took place in an unfamiliar environment, GHG made the space their own, taking over the senior courtyard and holding a tremendously successful plant sale for another year. The fundraiser, along with its collaborations,  allowed other creative sectors of NC to show off their creations. 

  “While our plant sale took over the senior Courtyard at the last minute, it opened new space for next year’s event. The area helped us sell more variety of plants to students and gave members wiggle room to help customers one-on-one. Ever since I joined Greenhouse, my involvement in the community has increased drastically. For example one of the club’s Specialties include Privot pulls where members pull invasive plants from local parks. Just recently I got the chance to visit a beautiful Orchid House in a local commercial agriculture business along the trip. I met new people pushing me out of my comfort zone to learn more about plants and business,” Vela said  

This club continues to provide a wide load of opportunities for their members to evolve and grow not only their green thumbs but as people as well. The club now plans to use the revenue from the fundraiser to rebuild the greenhouse and start a new collection of plants for next year’s exciting fundraiser.