Each class , one uprise star in the gardening and plant life sciences fields is recognized as the Paul Thomas Floriculture Production Intern of the Year for his or her surpassing performance during internships provided by the Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program allot through the American Floral Endowment ( AFE ) . The 2025 Paul Thomas Floriculture Production Intern of the Year is Joshua Dick of Coventry , Rhode Island .
As the winner , Josh will invite travel funds as needed and paid registration from the Vic & Margaret Ball Fund to attend Cultivate'25 , AmericanHort ’s annual convention for the fleeceable industriousness . This year ’s case will be held in July in Columbus , Ohio , and provides opportunities for networking , tours , shop and get a line more about industry trend . Joshua will also receive free registration to the convention provided by AmericanHort as well as $ 500 spending cash award by AFE ’s Young Professionals Council , a photo opportunity with AFE congressman and faculty phallus , and articles in AFE publication and trade pressure . As this year ’s Intern of the Year success , Joshua will also have the chance to serve on the review committee for the 2026 Paul Thomas selection .
In addition to the annual achiever of the award , outstanding interns are also realise and rewarded as honorable mentions . Haley Heflin Kost of San Diego , California , a student at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo , has been nominate the 2025 Paul Thomas Floriculture Production Honorable Mention . She will receive $ 250 for her recognition .
" We are passing lofty of both Joshua and Haley for their accomplishments , dedication and hard body of work during their internships . These two person exemplify the spirit of horticulture that carry on the legacy of Vic and Margaret Ball and Dr. Paul Thomas and their tremendous generosity and passion for the industry , " said Debi Chedester , CAE , Executive Director of AFE . " We are excited to learn Joshua and Haley turn in the industriousness and keep up along on their journeys with them . "
Joshua Dick , Paul Thomas Floriculture Production Intern of the Year6 - month internship with Tagawa Greenhouses in Brighton , Colorado
The world of flower gardening has always been of pastime to Joshua . It is a manner to express himself creatively , he noted , whether that be working in the landscaping at his parent ’s home or crafting a pattern for an yearly container from shekels .
" The answer of working with plants is very grounding , and I have regain it to be very therapeutic , " he said .
But a concern of fall back pastime should he take to build a calling in the industriousness lead Joshua down a different way of life . He spent his first class of college as a freshman at Northern Vermont University analyse atmospherical sciences . It did n’t take long , however , before he realized horticulture was already in his vein .
" I come across that the college was miss a lot of garden invention and distance . I make my own horticulture club during the tumble semester and successfully recruit other educatee to form and wreak on this unexampled club , " he said . Those try resulted in planting spring bulbs , hosting " Paint and Plant " night and a tree planting initiative on campus . He determine ways , both large and lowly , to convey the look of gardening to the campus .
By the end of his first year , it was decipherable that he wanted to swivel back to his passion . Joshua transferred to the University of Rhode Island where he would go on to fine-tune with a degree in Plant Science . During his college years , he worked at several jobs , let in Hattoy ’s Nursery , Landscaping , and Garden Center where his responsibilities included wrapping works in transparency , creating arrangements of potted plant life for specific orders and miscellaneous container , and rise on annuals in the nursery from plug .
At his occupation , he break a strong pastime in annual and recurrent production as a whole . His favorite annual to do work with are lantana , and his favorite perennial are heuchera / coral bells . For shrubs , he enjoy hydrangea . He was n’t only concerned in working with the plants himself but in sharing his interest with others . While in college , he create the social sensitive YouTube line , Joshua ’s Garden , where he documents his projects at study , at home and while in school .
Later in his academic career , Joshua drop from January to July 2024 across the body politic at his internship with Tagawa . It was the opportunity he had hoped for – an opportunity to gather a deep apprehension of the diligence and experience that would serve him in his post - donnish life history . He was hopeful of making connectedness and run with those in the industry who could guide him in the right management and assist him find his niche . Those six months , he said , were a time to watch valuable lessons about the industry . But even more so , the internship give him a glance of his post in the field .
" I was boost and commit the opportunity to tackle some really hard tasks and check not only the challenge in floriculture but also in real life , " he said . " I was challenged physically and mentally , learned a lot of myself and how I handle situations and grew enormously as an individual . "
Upon his graduation in December 2024 , Joshua was offered a position at Tagawa where he presently works full - time .
" incur this awarding mean a lot to me , get laid all of the hard work I put into this internship , " he said . " It is extremely rewarding to be recognized for that laborious work , specially knowing that I was alongside some other incredible interns who also taught me a good deal from their own linear perspective . "
Haley Kost , good Mention3 - month internship with North Creek Nurseries in Landenberg , Pennsylvania
It was a time of tumult for much of the earth , but the COVID-19 pandemic try out to be a full stop of realization for San Diego resident Haley , who found a passion for plant then when her female parent buy Haley her first houseplant . It was the starting time of what would become her future .
" What fuels my passion for flower gardening is how various a field it is , " she say . " It ’s an area where I feel that I will never stop having new experience and develop knowledge , which makes me very excited for the future . "
A student at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo , Haley is majoring in Plant Science – Environmental Horticulture . She is also minoring in landscape computer architecture . While there , she is combat-ready in Cal Poly Rose Float Leadership , medal section , and the Horticulture Club . She has develop a special stake in tropical plants and the forethought they require . Her ultimate goal is to combine her major and nonaged to explore a career in landscaping , focus on tropical or native plant .
For her internship , Haley traveled from the west coast to the slower - pace atmosphere of Chester County in Pennsylvania where the North Creek Nurseries lock as a wholesale propagation nursery specializing in eastern U.S. native plants . Her three - month internship was from June through September 2024 . While there , Haley say she experienced how huge the industry is .
" Through my class at Cal Poly and my time at North Creek Nurseries , I ’ve see how dynamic flower gardening rightfully is . Every day I have see something new , whether that be a product on the market or a technique , " she said . " Floriculture feels never - terminate in the best way potential . "
Haley said receive the 2025 Paul Thomas Honorable Mention award means more to her than proof that she completed her internship . She said it is proof that she was capable to move across the country for an entire summer , live independently and encounter some of her most rewarding experiences .
" I met some of the most astonishing mass who supported me unendingly when I was get wind and very patiently put up with the endless number of questions I had . My internship coordinator , Rose , designed the most amazing internship program that inclose me to all aspects of the industry , " she said . " I got to learn almost everything , from client service and shipping to the factual planting and growing of the products . "
It was an chance for which she will always be grateful , especially to those who rallied around her along the way .
" This award does n’t just feel like my laurels , it feels like acknowledgement for all the help and support that I received , which I could n’t be more thankful for , " she said .
Haley said she has a farseeing tilt of mass she give thanks for her experiences in both California and Pennsylvania , include the stave at Cal Poly who provided her with the education she call for for success . More importantly , she is grateful to her family for their support , including take a leak the trek across the country to settle her in for her internship .
" This laurels support that no matter how thought-provoking or frustrative the process could be sometimes , I would do the integral experience all over again in a instant . "
Frontpage photograph : © American Floral Endowment
