Through teamwork, communication, and perseverance the members of the Spanish Club, Gardening Club, environmental science classes, upper level Spanish classes, and community volunteers have began groundwork in creating a Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. An area in the outdoor space on our campus (the Our Creator’s Classroom) is being transformed into a beautiful garden filled with milkweed, nectar plants, crushed granite, and other things necessary for monarchs to thrive. We had a nature specialist come out and survey our land to make sure that the ground would be fit for the monarchs. Students have planted milkweed and nectar plants that are currently growing in the green house. Students have cleared away overgrown plants and trees. We have been in contact with a gardener at the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas, who will be designing our butterfly sanctuary for us!
The story of the monarch butterfly is inspiring, and one of overcoming adversity. It takes four generations of butterflies to reach their winter home! The Monarch migration spans three countries (Canada, the United States and Mexico) and has the longest annual migration of any living animal. These butterflies are declining in population due to pesticides, lack of habitat and climate change. Monarch butterflies need milkweed to flourish because milkweed is the only plant that their caterpillars eat, and it is the only plant where monarchs lay their eggs.
We want to increase awareness and restore habitat by planting milkweed to make a difference in our community and our world; working together to protect the earth and conserve nature. We are one, we are strongest working together in unity. Teamwork is key to living in peace, so that we can do God’s will.
I encourage you to participate in increasing awareness to these beautiful insects by supporting local organizations in saving the Monarch.
Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory “Migrations” live butterfly exhibit through July 7. http://www.botanicalconservatory.org/events-exhibitions/89-migrations
The Little River Wetlands Project hosts Monarch Festival at Eagle March on Sep 8. https://www.lrwp.org/events
The Monarch Ultra Run is a first attempt relay race that runs across North America that follows the migratory path of monarchs from Canada to the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico. Rhonda Breischaft and myself are running a 50K portion of the relay as a pair. Our route runs through the city of Fort Wayne on September 26. http://www.themonarchultra.com/
1 Corinthians 12:14 “For the body of Christ does not consist of one member but many.”
Lizette Pierce,
Spanish Teacher