EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – The line extended all the way out of the door and spilled into the cafeteria until Lori Butrus instructed the staff to close the door to any new customers.

The customers, all Egg Harbor Township High School students, were buying flower bouquets and balloons for their friends and loved ones for Valentine’s Day through the Eagle Greenery Flower Shop.

Senior Keith Hayes, 17, works at the Eagle Greenery, an in-school flower shop that sells flowers to students, staff and the public as part of a school-to-work program.

In the back room, student workers rushed to keep up with the demand, wrapping carnations, roses and other flowers in ribbons.

Over the course of the day the shop would go through approximately $3,000 worth of flowers, including bouquets bought by staff members and a few arrangements sold to members of the public, said Butrus, the teacher who runs the flower shop and the school-to-work program.

The program, which is offered to special education students, provides hands-on learning experiences on how to work at a flower shop. Butrus said she hopes next year the course can be changed to allow the students to work in the school store for a few weeks to offer them access to even more skills.

Opened in 1991, the flower shop and accompanying program service a much wider clientele than just the high school community, she said, noting the other district schools also place large orders for special events.

“Mainland Regional High School and Seaview Elementary School and Belhaven Middle School in Linwood are good clients,” said Butrus, whose family owns Lang’s Garden Market.

The shop is also open to the public.

“People can just come into the main office, check in and walk back to the shop,” she said.

The group will be preparing for a charity event next week, when Butrus offers a bouquet-making class for adults, after which all proceeds will be sent to Gilda’s Club of South Jersey.

If You Go

What: Make your own bouquet adult evening class

Where: Egg Harbor Township High School's Eagle Greenery (Room B176)

When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, at the high school.

Cost: $40. Payment in advance will reserve a spot.

Includes professional design instruction, all tools, flowers and design materials

Benefits Gilda's Club

For information call Lori Butrus at (609) 653-8804, ext. 2621 or email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Junior Chris Branca, left, and senior Keith Hayes, both 17, work on arranging bouquets for sale at the high school’s flower shop.