Seed Your Future

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jazmin Albarran, Executive Director
jalbarran@SeedYourFuture.org
(703) 838-5209 

The Bridge Is Built: Seed Your Future Connects 34 Educators to the Careers Their Students Have Been Missing 

Alexandria, VA – July 3, 2026 – Seed Your Future, the national nonprofit dedicated to inspiring the next generation of horticulture professionals, today announced the successful completion of the immersive experience at the heart of its 2026 Seed to STEM program. Held June 14–17, the four-day experience brought together 30 high school educators in floral design, floral business, and horticulture from 17 states – joined by four peer mentors from Pennsylvania – for an unprecedented look inside the commercial operations that power the horticulture and floriculture industries. 

For many participants, it was a first: the first-time walking through a commercial greenhouse, the first conversation with a wholesale buyer about their career journey, the first glimpse of logistics, science, and business behind the plants and flowers they teach about every day. 

"These teachers already understood that an industry existed," said Jazmin Albarran, Executive Director of Seed Your Future. "What changed is that they saw it – the people, the operations, the career paths. Now they have a genuine appetite to help industry funnel students into these businesses and careers. We can't wait to see how that translates in their classrooms." 

Five Host Sites. Five Windows Into the Industry. 

Over the course of the week, educators visited five industry host sites that opened their operations and their teams to the cohort: 

• Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square, PA) — one of the world's premier public gardens, offering a deep look at careers in public horticulture, plant science, and garden management
• Overdevest Nurseries (Bridgeton, NJ) — a major wholesale nursery offering a view into the business of commercial plant distribution
• Lucas Greenhouse (PA) — a commercial greenhouse operation providing insight into large-scale production and growing systems
• DV Flora (Sewell, NJ) — a floral wholesaler providing an in-depth look at the floral supply chain, from sourcing to distribution
• North Creek Nurseries (Landenberg, PA) — a leading perennial and native plant nursery showcasing large-scale nursery production and sustainability-focused growing 

At each stop, teachers engaged directly with professionals across roles – from growers and operations managers to sales teams and business leaders – gaining a panoramic view of the industry they can bring back to their classrooms as real, concrete examples of where a passion for plants can lead. 

Program Continues Through Summer 

The immersive experience marks a major milestone, but the 2026 Seed to STEM program is not yet complete. Two virtual webinars remain, and cohort members will submit newly created classroom resources – lesson plans, career exploration tools, and industry-informed career profiles – that will be published on the Seed Your Future website for educators nationwide to download and use free of charge. 

"The ripple effect of this program extends far beyond the teachers in this room," Albarran added. "Every resource they create has the potential to reach thousands of students who might otherwise never know these careers exist." 

Building the Workforce Pipeline from the Classroom 

Seed to STEM was designed to address a persistent challenge in the horticulture industry: students – and their teachers – simply don't know the full scope of careers available. By pairing professional development with direct industry immersion, the program equips educators to bridge the gap between classroom learning and workforce opportunity.  

"Being part of Seed to STEM was a great reminder of how powerful it is to connect educators with what's really happening in the green industry," said Broch Martindale, Board President of Seed Your Future. "Programs like this don't just support educators – they help build awareness and passion for an industry that truly needs the next generation." 

Since its inception, Seed to STEM has demonstrated measurable impact, with participating teachers reporting increased confidence in teaching horticulture careers and expanded student engagement through career-focused programming. The 2026 cohort represents the program's broadest geographic reach to date, spanning 14 states. 

For more information about Seed to STEM and Seed Your Future's programs, visit seedyourfuture.org. 

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About Seed Your Future 

Seed Your Future is the movement to promote horticulture and inspire people to pursue careers working with plants. We envision a world where everyone understands the power of plants and is aware of the promising careers in the art, science, technology, and business of horticulture. 

For more information, visit seedyourfuture.org