Miguel Hidalgo Elementary School
The Journey North Program opens its 2016-2017 visits at this Miguel Hidalgo Elementary in Rondanilla, near Sierra Chincua Sanctuary. Most of these children's families are Ejidatarios owning the rights on the Forest preservation where Monarchs overwinter at Sierra Chincua Sanctuary.

Estela and the children discussed the Monarchs' life cycle, and then went on exchanging about the devastations caused by the terrible wind-hail-sleet storm of March 2016. Childrens' letters to their counterparts in the Norh this year contain the main impressions of this experience for these children and their families and the way the keep faithful the loss of forest due to this calamity.

A lot of concern and interesting analysis arose during the time with children at this school.

Then, they got a surprise, since Lara Dolphin, a North American teacher coming from Pine Point Elementary in Connecticut, USA, came over to visit them. She and her children have been participating with Journey North sending their letters and Ambassador Butterflies for many years now. Lara Dolphin's dream was to come here to experience being with these children at this school near the Sanctuaries after receiving so many of their letters!

Children made a lot of questions to teacher Lara Dolphin, as to which are her students' favorite subjects, homework time, what living is like in Connecticut, how they over there care about Monarchs, etc. A breathtaking experience both for visitor Lara Dolphin, and for the students at "Miguel Hidalgo" Elementary.

The day closed with a farewell event that the school organized to celebrate the retirement of "Teacher Rita" after serving for 42 years teaching the children of our region! The event included some regional dancing!

Estela Romero
Angangueo, Michoacán, México.

Butterflies Received
This school received Ambassador Butterflies from the following U.S. and Canadian Schools:

Matthews Elementary, Austin, TX
Matthews Elementary, Austin, TX
St. Paul's Academy, Bellingham, WA
Flagstaff Academy, Longmont, CO
Flagstaff Academy, Longmont, CO
Village of Orland Park Preschool, Orland Park, IL
Detroit Country Day School, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Life Learning Community, Ann Arbor, MI
North Side School, Firfield, IL
Loudoun Valley Community Center, Purcellville, VA
Frances Hazel Reid Elementary, Leesburg, VA
Churchill Road Elementary, McLean, VA
Churchill Road Elementary, McLean, VA
Saint Michael Arch Angel Holy Cross, Saint Louis, MO
Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis, MO
Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis, MO
Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis, MO
Saint Louis Zoo Preschool, Saint Louis, MO
Okte Elementary, Clifton Park, NY
Southside Estates Elementary, Jacksonville, FL
West Indianola Elementary, Topeka, KS
Lincoln Prairie School, Hoffman Estates, IL
West Indianola Elementary, Topeka, KS
West Indianola Elementary, Topeka, KS
Van Vleck House and Gardens, Montclair, NJ
Princeton Day School, Princeton, NJ
Far Hills Country Day School, Far Hills, NJ
Far Hills Country Day School, Far Hills, NJ
Sedgwick Elementary, Sedgwick, ME
Billingsley School, Billingsley, AL
Heritage Elementary, Wake Forest, NC
Simpsonville Elementary, Simpsonville, KY
Cherokee Elementary, Johnson City, TN
Cherokee Elementary, Johnson City, TN
North Side Elementary, Johnson City, TN
North Side Elementary, Johnson City, TN
Saint John Neumann School, Knoxville, TN
La Petite Academy, Royal Palm Beach, FL
Cherokee Elementary, Johnson City, TN