SOUTHINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) – From the classroom to the greenhouse and barn, students in Southington are creating floral masterpieces and caring for animals and the school grounds.

“We are a part of Southington High School which is a comprehensive high school,” said Patrick O’Keefe with the Agricultural Science and Technology program.

Southington High School offers a unique opportunity where students are outside building skills beyond their classroom.

“Do a lot of hands-on activities whether it be driving tractors, working with animals, working with the equipment. It really gets you to have a love and passion for it,” said Senior Christian LeBeau

The students are in charge of maintaining the property for their sports teams. Perhaps the most popular part of the program is learning to groom and take care of animals.

It’s not just smaller animals, these students get to work with horses, a donkey, sheep and even a cow right on the property all before they get to college.

Another favorite is the floral arrangement they learn to assemble.

“I really like it because it’s unique, you can express yourself with the different arrangements. I really like baby’s breath and we use that a lot as accents and fillers,” said Alexis Wojcik of Plainville.

And there is motivation to do it well

“We do holiday sales, in the winter time we do cemetery boxes, wreaths, poinsettias, holiday arrangements. That is open to the public,” O’Keefe said. “We take the money we earn and turn it into scholarships for the students.”

Working a business, building unique skills and tapping into new passions while providing important care.