Presidente Calles Elementary, Grades 4, 5, and 6
This school is located in Ocampo Town, neighboring community to Angangueo.
Historically, Ocampo town has been the area where the most (not to say all) logging from the forests of El Rosario territory and communities concentrates. While Angangueo residents made a living from the mining activity for decades until 30 years ago when the mining works were closed, Ocampo has lived from forestry benefits, for decades to the present. Journey North shall continue educating the children whose families make a living from forest activities; teaching them the value of the forest for the monarchs' survival.
Normally, Elementary schools start at 8:30 and end by 1 pm. For some years now, during wintertime, many schools start at 9:00 am due to the cold morning temperatures. A few mornings can drop down to nearly zero for some weeks. Most children wear their warmest clothes from now on until end of February when the coldest temperatures have passed.
After walking around the white box and the flags several times, silent, without asking a question to Estela near by, she says to them,
“It IS your Symbolic Monarchs arriving!”
“Is it? HURRRAAAH!”, they jump on their own feet and clap their little hands.
“Can I help you carry the box?”, --one or two of them--. “And me the flags” -one or two other impatiently go next, “and me the Migration map?”
This should be at the arrival of every single school! This is the moment to start enjoying the rest of the day, as children run and shout to each other their Symbolic Monarchs have arrived from their new Friends in Canada and United States where Monarchs have come from!
Once at the classroom, they crowd to the Migration map to explain, to learn, or to question the reasons why Monarchs have come south to us to spend the Winter at our Oyamel forests.
“Yes, they arrived on the Day of the Dead; my family and I could see them!”. “Right now they are up at El Rosario and Sierra Chincua.” “How can they stand the frost at night better than us?”
As in most schools, they love to hear about the miracle of going from egg to caterpillar to pupae to adult Monarch!
One of the two teachers attending the presentation this time, made a splendid explanation to discuss another big problem, “Avocado farms are becoming a real problem for conservation of our native plant species. Avocado farmers are brushing away forest áreas in order to plant, and using a great amount of water to produce the fruit.” This teacher was fabulous at letting children see about the importance of conserving native species and plants!
“Monarchs are one of the huge, and most beatiful treasure we still have!”, he told his students.“
The excitement continued as students received their symbolic butterflies, Thrilled to open their letters, they shouted, “Minnesota”, “Georgia”, “Kansas”, “North Carolina”, “Canada”! The shouts and the names of places in United States and Canada jump up from here and there until it all gets such a joy and celebration!
The donation of books is another very special moment. Teachers and children welcome the books and the games, since they have been carefully selected for educational purposes, bringing to them fun and education as a constructive complement to their studies,
Butterflies Received
This school received Ambassador Butterflies from the following U.S. and Canadian Schools:
The Elisabeth Morrow School, Englewood, NJ
Helms Elementary, Houston, TX
Saint Joseph Catholic School, Athens, GA
Helms Elementary, Houston, TX
Helms Elementary, Houston, TX
Helms Elementary, Houston, TX
Helms Elementary, Houston, TX
Comanche Elementary, Comanche, TX
Fuente Nueva Charter School, Arcata, CA
Fuente Nueva Charter School, Arcata, CA
Saint Andrew's School, Savannah, GA
New Directions Secondary School, Bronx, NY
The Elisabeth Morrow School, Englewood, NJ
Staten Island Academy, Staten Island, NY
Glen Rock Jewish Center Nursery School, Glen Rock, NJ
Gunn Memorial Public Library, Yanceyville, NC
Forest Knolls Elementary, Silver Spring, MD
Detroit Country Day School, Bloomfied Hills, MI
Forest Knolls Elementary, Silver Spring, MD
Forest Knolls Elementary, Silver Spring, MD
Charlotte Country Day School, Charlotte, NC
Hillandale Elementary, East Flat Rock, NC
Hillandale Elementary, East Flat Rock, NC
Hillandale Elementary, East Flat Rock, NC
Stoney Point Elementary, Fayetteville, NC
Glenn C Marlow Elementary, Mills River, NC
Hillandale Elementary, East Flat Rock, NC
Vance Elementary, Asheville, NC
Vance Elementary, Asheville, NC
Vance Elementary, Asheville, NC
Gunn Memorial Public Library, Yanceyville, NC
Thorntons Ferry Elementary, Merrimack, NH
Saint Mary's Prep School, Denville, NJ
Deerfield Community School, Deerfield, NH
Birchwood Elementary, Melville, NY
Knowlton Township Elementary, Delaware, NJ
Frankford Township School, Branchville, NJ
Montclair Kimberley Academy, Montclair, NJ
Montclair Kimberley Academy, Montclair, NJ
Montclair Kimberley Academy, Montclair, NJ
Tupper Lake Central School, Tupper Lake, NY
Arcanum Elementary, Arcanum, OH
Greenville Elementary, Greenville, OH
Versailles Elementary, Versailles, OH
Versailles Elementary, Versailles, OH
Saint Mary of the Assumption, Van Wert, OH
Cape Elizabeth Middle School, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Cape Elizabeth Middle School, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Cape Elizabeth Middle School, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Cape Elizabeth Middle School, Cape Elizabeth, ME
North Haven Community School, North Haven, ME
San Elijo Elementary, San Marcos, CA
Birney Elementary, San Diego, CA
Seiad Elementary, Seiad Valley, CA
Jefferson Elementary, San Francisco, CA
Glen Park School, San Francisco, CA
Crest View Elementary, Boulder, CO
Crest View Elementary, Boulder, CO
Foote School, New Haven, CT
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