Journey North Symbolic Monarch Butterfly Migration

Symbolic Migration

Travel Log: Fall 2009
Butterflies and More Make Their Way to Sanctuary Schools

When the shipment of boxes filled with butterflies arrived at Estela Romero's doorstep, she immediately put her travel plans into action. Most days Estela has a partner that visits the schools with her. Her name is Melita, and she is a long-time, retired family friend from Angangueo who loves Journey North so much that she volunteers her time. Together these two travel up and down the mountain roads teaching their lessons and sharing your butterfly's messages of good will and conservation. Read some of Estela's journal stories.

Estela and Melita at the Romero's store in Angangueo, Michoacan . Estela and Melita at the overlook in Angangueo. Packing the car with butterflies. Getting ready to visit a school. "Squeezing" the boxes into the car.

Classroom Visits
Estela uses her time in the classroom to share the story that your symbolic monarchs represent. She gives each student a butterfly. The students each read the message included with their paper butterfly. Then they participate in a classroom activity. She reviews the important lessons of monarch habitat conservation with the students. They review, or learn for the first time the monarch butterfly life cycle from egg to adult. Many of them know the life cycle and habits of this precious shared resource.

The lessons about habitat conservation are very important. Estela asks, "Did you know that a Plastic box takes more than 100 years to desintegrate?" or "Did you know that a battery thrown into water pollutes hundreds of thousands of liters of water?"

And finally, the students are enthusiastic about the critical issue, "Do we really want Monarchs to continue to visit us every year as they do now? So, let's do and learn a little more about how we can protect them!"

The Unforgettable Visit
"Today, was an unforgettable day. Last week, a teacher passing by, who had heard about the symbolic monarch project, made me promise I would visit her kindergarten. I promised I would be there, and she then gave me directions to her school. The school was so remote, up in the mountains, that I almost regretted having made such a promise! After getting lost three times (!) I really wondered if I would ever find the little school. The moment I stopped the car and saw the little classroom and the little outdoor bathroom beside it, then walked into the classroom, I had tears in my eyes."

“La Peñita" Kindergarten
Ocampo, Michoacan. An unforgettable school visit near El Rosario.
Out on the playground at “La Peñita."
“La Peñita" Kindergarten
Ocampo, Michoacan.
Take a look to the beautiful classroom and library at the back! It is wall-papered with carton pieces to avoid the cold wind. We congratulated their young teacher for his work and neatness and his kindness.
The classroom was wall-papered with carton pieces to avoid the cold wind. We congratulated their young teacher for his work and neatness and his kindness.

Only 5 children were in school that day, but they were enough. They were so eager to participate in guessing about the monarchs' life cycle! They all got their symbolic butterflies and we took pictures in their school yard. We also took some pictures inside to show their beautiful classroom. I will be back next Monday to visit the missing children.

Stay tuned for more stories and photos (coming this winter and into spring) ...