The Business and Design Club added a burst of colour to campus last week with a three-day sale of handcrafted pipe-cleaner flowers. Led by Grade 11 student heads Yina Ding, Jacqueline Liu and Snowy Ye, the club meets every other week in and has grown to about 15 members since it launched last year under the guidance of Senior School teacher Sarah Beeston '89.
As one of the many diverse opportunities available through the Senior School’s Clubs and Councils program which offers students a chance to explore interests beyond the classroom, develop leadership skills and contribute to school life, the Business and Design Club blends creativity with entrepreneurial thinking. Members work on year-round projects that allow them to design, plan and market their own ideas from concept to completion.
The club first explored making pipe-cleaner flowers last Valentine’s Day, learning the techniques through online tutorials and testing the idea with a fundraiser in support of the Canadian Red Cross and Brave Together, the non-profit co-founded by Yina. That early success gave them the confidence and experience to take on a second, larger flower project this year, building on what they learned and refining their designs along the way.
Some flowers could be shaped in just a few minutes, while the more complex lilies and layered roses required patience, careful twisting and steady hands. The results were impressive: sturdy yet soft blooms in a wide range of colours that looked strikingly realistic and lasted far longer than fresh bouquets.
Beyond flowers, the club has worked on other creative projects, including designing canvas tote bags featuring artwork by SMUS alumni for Alumni Weekend. Across these initiatives, the group has made it a priority to donate proceeds and plans to continue doing so in the future.
This year’s flower sale supported Winter Formal, with students selling roughly three-quarters of their stock and raising about $200 during lunchtime sales. The initiative was a strong blend of business planning and design thinking, from anticipating which styles would be popular to producing consistent, high-quality pieces over several weeks. Students also noted that the project was a good reminder of the importance of balancing club work with their academic responsibilities.
The club looks forward to continuing to pair creativity with community impact through future projects.
