Bristol Aggie Students Deck the Halls of Newport’s Historic Elms Mansion

The holidays are here, and while many deck their own halls, one group of students is decking the halls of a Newport mansion.

"It is a pretty amazing experience. I tell the kids this is highly accredited, to be a part of the Newport mansions and have decorations that have people from all over the world come and actually see is pretty spectacular," said Danielle Chevalier, Floriculture Dept. Chair/Instructor at Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton.

She and her senior students dressed two of the fireplace mantels at The Elms, an 18th-century French chateau located on Bellevue Ave. "They've never really had to do something this professional before," Chevalier said.

A Festive Tradition at the Newport Mansions

The BCAHS floriculture seniors have been decorating parts of the Newport mansions for the past few years.

READ MORE: Christine Baranski Brings Gilded Age Glamour to Newport Mansions

"The first year we did it, we were in three different mansions. Last year, we were in one and then this year we were at The Elms," Chevalier said.

How Students Designed the Holiday Mantels

"We have a teacher that kind of just oversees or helps with any questions and then the kids design," Chevalier added. "(It's) a great hands-on learning experience for the students."

READ MORE: Gigantic Gilded Age Mansion Is the Most Photogenic in Rhode Island

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Inside Bristol Aggie’s Floriculture Program

Roughly 50 kids are enrolled in the department at Bristol Aggie, learning about the nature all around them.

"It highlights flowers and plants, not only indoors, but outdoors as well," Chevalier said. "We have four functioning greenhouses. We have a bunch of raised beds in the back of our building, and then we have a flower shop."

READ MORE: Stunning Dartmouth Daffodils Date Back to World War II

A Holiday Sale Open to the Community

You can support the floriculture students at BCAHS this holiday season. "We're having a holiday open house where we're opening to the public for the first time," Chevalier said. "They'll be able to come in and buy wreaths and garlands and all sorts of arrangements."

"All of the kids really get a well-rounded education in the wholesale and retail portion of it," Chevalier said.

The holiday sale at Bristol Aggie takes place Friday, December 5 from 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.