One of RMA’s long-standing traditions is the annual poinsettia sale sponsored by 11th-grade students to raise money for the junior-senior prom, an important milestone that marks the end of seniors’ high school careers and the start of the transition to college. Given how special this event is, juniors work extra hard to fund the decorations (which always reflect a student-chosen theme and change each year) and a live band to play at the event.
The process starts in October when juniors are tasked with finding potential customers to buy poinsettias. Fortunately for students, RMA families, teachers, and businesses are already familiar with the selling process and know to expect eager eleventh graders to show up in the fall with order forms as they raise money for a good cause; juniors are also given a list of local businesses to help them get started. Once students find buyers, they fill out order forms that include the desired number of plants, which colors the customer wants (red, pink, or white), and whether the poinsettias should be wrapped and ready for gift-giving. Once the order forms for poinsettias come in, the school places its order with Williams Plant Farm in Sims.
But the work doesn’t end there: delivery day takes a ton of time and effort! In late November or early December, a truck arrives with about 1,000 poinsettias that have to be unloaded. The eleventh-grade students unload the truck and set the plants on tables in Bradley Hall; each student has his or her own table and a spreadsheet noting who bought what. Once the first truck has been unloaded, a second truck arrives with even more poinsettias to unload! Once sorted, the 11th grade delivers them to their buyers, effectively raising funds for prom.
This tradition is so old that no one on campus knows exactly when RMA started selling poinsettias, but I can confirm that it’s been decades since Ms. Weaver, who has taught at RMA for 50 years, can’t even remember! Although the school has had enough experience to make the fundraiser run like clockwork, that doesn’t mean it’s an easy task. In order for the entire process of selling, buying, moving, and delivering poinsettias to go smoothly, everyone has to pitch in: members of the community who are willing to purchase plants, parents who volunteer to help on delivery day, teachers who will excuse juniors from class, and–most of all–administrative assistant Mrs. Lisa Stone. In addition to helping in the office, supporting the auction chairs, working the front desk, and supervising study halls, this Swiss Army knife of RMA keeps track of about 1,000 poinsettia orders each year, making her the key to success.
Especially as a member of the Class of 2027, I’m excited to report that this year’s junior class exceeded that 1,000 mark with a total of 1,014 poinsettias. Now that we have the funding, it’s time to start planning for prom 2026!
