KING CITY — Roses that were planted by Girl Scouts 30 years ago at King City High School have been included in the new landscaping of the school’s state-of-the-art Career Technical Education building, which is set to open in February.
Troop 3157 chose a beautification project back in 1991 that allotted proceeds from the sale of Girl Scout cookies to be used to purchase roses, which were planted near the parking lot of the Robert Stanton Theater.
A total of 29 roses were planted over a period of three years by 14 girls who were Brownie and Junior troop members. Leaders of the troop were Karen Jernigan and Lise Carter.
When a bond measure was approved by voters in November 2018, the South Monterey County Joint Union High School District was able to plan and fund a brand-new agriculture facility that is currently being built by Otto Construction of Monterey on North Mildred Avenue.
Construction plans called for the use of the area where the roses were planted, so Otto Construction agreed to help remove the roses and place them in pots, which have been stored at the Jernigan home across the street from the project.
Jernigan agreed to try to keep the plants alive by watering and pruning them for the past year, and the school district’s landscape engineers agreed to incorporate the roses into the new building’s landscaping.
Last month members of the Girl Scout troop and their families were able to return to help with the replanting of the roses in the new landscaping located between the CTE building and the theater. A large boulder containing all the names of the girls on a bronze plaque was also reinstalled.
Members of the troop included Rebecca Arce, Melissa Jernigan, Kristin Layous, Bree O’Hara, Trina Tully, Hiyadeh Boloorchi, Allison Betancourt, Lacey Carter, Diana Diaz, Stephanie Tavares, Catherine Chamberlain, Angela Ayo, Lacey Arbrun and the late Katie El-Helou.
Karen Jernigan has been a long-time member of the Monterey Bay Rose Society. She believes the survival of the roses is testimony to the fact that roses are hardy and well-suited for the King City area.
The high school district is inviting the community to attend a ribbon cutting for the new CTE facility at King City High School on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 4:30 p.m. After the ceremony, the building will be open to tours.
