High Life: A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : Petal Pusher : Occupations: Fullerton student Rose Marecek already has a big jump on realizing dreams of a career in floriculture.

Everything’s coming up roses for senior Rose Marecek, three years after she took her first floriculture class at Sunny Hills High School.

Marecek is at the top of local Regional Occupation Program floriculture classes and state and national floriculture competitions, after winning several awards.

She arranges flowers every Monday morning for the Western State College of Law’s reception table.

“I go for a color scheme,” said Marecek, explaining her first step in each creation. Her flowers included mini-carnations and orchids.

“Then I cover my mechanics. You want to make (the arrangement) look as natural as possible, like the flowers just grew there,” she said. This means covering--or greening--the floral foam in which the flowers are placed.

The third step is to pick a style. Marecek is working on this Monday with Western Line Design, which utilizes a lot of spacing and horizontal lines. It’s “achieving the most, using the least,” she said.

Finally, she arranges the flowers. The focal point is at the rim of the container. “I work my way down to that,” she said.

She starts with line flowers, which give the arrangement a horizontal feel. Next, she adds the filler flowers, such as baby’s breath. Then, she finishes with the mass flowers, which could include mums or carnations.

Marecek said arranging flowers requires taking the basics she learned in class and adding her own touches of creativity.

She enrolled in her first floriculture class when she was a freshman looking to try something “totally new.”

She said her teacher, Greg Beard, “thought I had some talent,” so she enrolled in advanced ROP classes at Fullerton High as a sophomore and junior after Beard left Sunny Hills for a full-time position there.

“I think it’s important for people to find what they’re good at and get really involved,” Marecek said. “Fullerton High School is really where I’m involved.”

Said Beard: “Rose is an outstanding, responsible, loving young woman. She has a talent. She makes people happy through her creations.”

Marecek joined Fullerton’s Future Farmers of America and now takes a Community Vocational Education ROP class once a week at Fullerton.

Through FFA, she has traveled to several floriculture judging competitions throughout the state. “The trips were really fun,” she said. “Floriculture has the chance to compete throughout the year and get some practice in before the state competitions” at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

During floriculture judging competitions, “we have to identify cut flowers, foliage and materials used in floriculture,” Marecek said. Contestants must also evaluate the quality of plant specimens and give an impromptu speech defending their evaluations.

In her sophomore year, her three-person judging team placed third in the state, and in her junior year, the team finished first and qualified for national competition.

Last November, Marecek and her teammates traveled to Kansas City, Mo., where they received a bronze medal for their third-place finish at the national. She also received a silver medal for placing second in individual competition.

Marecek has also won a silver medal for individual ROP competition at Sunny Hills.

She has been named a State Farmer, an award she received for keeping a record book of her work, earning money and having on-the-job training. Marecek worked in craft stores arranging silk flowers.

If she earns at least $10,000 by way of her floriculture training, she will be named an American Farmer, one of the highest achievements for an agriculture student.

Marecek currently works at Margo’s Flowers in Fullerton. She has also done floral arrangements for the Masonic Lodge in Fullerton and the La Palma Lions Club. She plans to participate in Fullerton Beautiful on April 12, when people will visit Fullerton High’s farm to view a fresh flower show and tour the facility.

In her spare time, she creates corsages for homecoming and prom for her friends. “It’s fun to dress (flowers) up with pearls and roses,” she said.

Marecek plans to enroll at Cal Poly Pomona in the fall, where she may major in business and minor in ornamental horticulture.

“I want to be in business for myself,” she said, possibly through operating a crafts store, though she said she would also like to be involved “in the growing end” of her trade.

Marecek most enjoys the creativity involved with flower arranging.

“You’re free to express yourself. You’re dealing with shapes and textures, like an artist.”

Her favorite flowers to work with are roses and orchids.

“Roses represent a lot to different people,” Marecek said. “I like them because of my name, too.”