Valentine's Day never passes by without flowers, and students at Honolulu Community College went out of their way to make roses that will not wither and are guaranteed to last a lifetime. Every year, students with the Sheet Metal and Plastics Technology program make these one-of-a-kind handcrafted roses for valentines, which are popularly known as "forever roses" according to University of Hawaii News. These flowers are sold by the students every February 14 to raise funds to support the program for $15 each or four for $50.
They use flat sheets of copper for the flat sheets of petals and leaves and they cut it and mold into shape, according to Khon 2. Students then assemble the pieces together and then hand-crimp each petal to give them a lifelike look and texture. A total of 460 roses were sold and they have collected a total net proceeds of $2,625.
Danny Aiu, who is a sheet and plastics instructor said that everything is hand-formed. And even if they are cut similarly, they do not necessarily look alike. He also said that their goal was to sell 500 roses, but barely made it. They are still hoping they can sell more so that they can collect additional money to be able to buy what they need toward the end of the semester.
Honolulu CC's Sheet Metal and Plastics program is specifically designed to qualify students and help them with their entry into the sheet metal workforce. Their skills on fabrication, architectural metal work, and pattern development are being developed through hands-on experience. Projects like the handcrafted roses are an excellent opportunity for students to explore and hone their creative side and imagination, and discover the possibilities they can do with working with metals.
