The
Adventures of the Symbolic Monarchs in Mexico! Gallery 1
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| Everyday Scenes in the Region where Symbolic Monarchs are Delivered | ||
| All over this beautiful landscape your symbolic butterflies are delivered. I personally feel proud of it, love my land and feel honored to be leaving a seed together representing Journey North, which fruits will assure part of the survival future for our children. -Estela Romero |
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| This is the way the State of Michoacán Government announces the start of the Monarchs' Season in the region at the entrance of Angangueo, for local population and tourists coming to visit the Sanctuaries in Sierra Chincua or El Rosario. | ||
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| Angangueo is shown below the steep mountainous terrain. | Many residents of the area travel by horseback. | Cuide las Moriposas "Take care of butterflies" --referring to Monarchs. |
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| In these photos you can observe how steep our mountains are. | La Salud community shares some "rights" from the money flow from the fees charged to tourists and parking spaces around the Sanctuary. | |
| Vicente Guerrero Elementary Las Palmas Community, El Rosario Ejido, Michoacán | ||
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| Early morning. Many children in the community take public transportation if they choose not to walk a little bit. | Arriving to school with homeworks done. | Arriving to school with homeworks done. |
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Teachers check clean hands, uniforms and shoes before starting going into their classrooms. |
Journey North teaching about the reproduction phases of the monarch butterflies.
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| Children are already very knowledgeable and remember perfectly previous lectures Journey North visits. | Children filling in their letters very enthusiastic, at offering a mutual caring for Monarchs habitat in both countries. | |
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| Here the students display their new books, "Monarch Come Play with Me." | All students with their Symbolic Butterflies. | |
| Guadalupe Victoria Elementary El Rosario Community, Michoacán | ||
| This school was the second elementary school built in the El Rosario Community. Now these children can go on to Junior High and High School in the area schools. | ||
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| The approach to the school grounds. | 4th, and 5th graders all together. | They loved getting their butterflies! |
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| Can you find YOUR butterfly? | During the session the boys sat on one side, the girls on the other. | Break time, where children eat a snack and play different games, most of them playing traditional games. |
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| Some students bring these modern electronic games to school. | Students point out the oyamel trees given to them and planted a few years ago. They have really grown. | Children receiving their "Monarchs Across Georgia" books. |
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| The teacher at his desk. | Kids having fun, and don't want Journey North to leave! | |
| San Luis, Tele-Secundaria School Located in Rincón de San Luis, El Rosario Community, Michoacán |
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This is a Secondary School with very high population as all schools in El Rosario Community. |
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| Journey North was welcomed warmly by the new principal, and the teachers were very interested in the program. | Students loved the lecture and receiving and responding to the letters sent from the North. | Here, each student is fascinated with reading the ambassador butterflies. |
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| 1st year "B" Class. The students loved receiving their letters and small gifts. | Students are very curious asking Estela about the languages spoken by No. American and Canadian children. | |
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| Is this your butterfly? | The whole class showing their butterflies. | This group of 2nd year students were fascinated to learn the Monarchs' life cycle, and challenges and facts delived by Estela Romero to every group. |
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| They were interested in the students who sent the butterflies. | They were astonished to know that in USA and Canada, people cannot see Monarchs in Sanctuaries as we do in our mountains. | Everyone in 2nd year showing their ambassador butterflies. |
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| 3rd year students learning about monarch life-cycle. | The students and teacher realize the value of monarch conservation now. | Here they are enjoying their ambassador symbolic butterflies. |
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| Students expressing their gratitude for the visit and their wish that the program keeps coming back. | School director is interested in establishing an exchange with another school from the north. | Books were donated to the school. |
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| Break time on a beautiful day at San Luis Secondary School. | ||
| Niños Héroes Elementary San Luis Community, Ejido El Rosario | ||
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| Volunteers in the class showing their classmates the 4 different phases of the life of a Monarch. | Berenice, a deaf and numb girl in the class. Estela asked the girl to draw a picture in her letter to be included in the Journey North letter exchange. | In our region, there is no special education. These children rely on their families to provide ways to give them support for development. |
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| Children deliberating the best answers to their letters for children in USA and Canada. | 5th grade children pose with the ambassador butterflies they received. | |
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| Group photo in the schoolyard. | 6th Grade show their butterflies. | Posing with donated books. |
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| The school property is walled. | There is a large area for sports and other activities. | The local area. Can you see any cars? |
| El Rosario Tele-Secundaria El Rosario Community, Ejido El Rosario | ||
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| This is the most populated school Journey North visits around El Rosario Sanctuary. | Presenting information about the monarch migration to this large group of students. | Students learn about the importance of everyone's involvement with conservation. |
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| These are students in equivalent of 7th, 8th and 9th grade. | Each student gets their Symbolic Monarch! | |
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| Although it isn't a warm day here, the sun shines for the presentation. | Entire group shows their butterflies. | |
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| Close up on some students. | Can you find your butterfly?! | |
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Another close up. |
Entrance to the school (see opening in the school's border wall). |
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| José María Morelos y Pavón Elementary El Rosario Community, Ejido El Rosario | ||
| Families in this community generally have mothers who stay at home to raise their families and do housekeeping. Students in grades 4, 5, and 6 were so excited to see Rocinante coming to their school, they shouted, "Here come the butterflies with letters from the North!" |
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| Children and their mothers wait for teachers to open the school. In the winter, all schools in our communities start class 30 minutes after normal starting time. Today they start at 9 a.m. sharp. | When the teachers arrive students rush to go into the school. Although we are in winter it is normal to have sunny mornings and days. Temps drop down to 1-2°C in town. | |
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| Students see the crates of butterflies and get really excited! | The children remember the life cycle from last year, but are still amazed that the monarch eats almost all of it's food as a caterpillar. | |
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| Drawing and writing a letter about themselves to send back to their new friends in US, Canada, and Germany. | ||
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| A gift of books and a puzzle for the class from Monarchs Across Georgia. | Photographs and stickers are fun - even for 4, 5, and 6th graders! | Group photograph with the butterfly ambassadors. |
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Students gather in groups to share the letters and gifts from the children in US and Canada. | This school bears the name of one of our two heroes of Independence "José María Morelos y Pavón, who fought for independence from Spain. |
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| Amado Nervo Elementary Downtown Ocampo | ||
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This school bears the name of one of the most famous poets in the Spanish language, Amado Nervo. |
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| Grade 6B students | ||
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| Group photo of 6B(L) students, and Grade 6A(R). In these groups of older students, they can understand the challenges Monarchs face to survive. They talk about the environment and issues of global warming, the importance of preservation of the Oyamel forests in our region, and the milkweed fields in the North. | ||
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| Grade 6A Group photo | The class received some classroom books. | Fifth Grades already know about the life cycle and have good questions |
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| Sharing their butterflys and the messages they carry | He can now see who sent the butterfly! | The class holding their butterflies |
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| Students show their new books | Grade 5A. Estela explains to the children at every school, and classroom the life cycle phases of Monarch butterflies. Children now easily recognize the different phases. Among the facts children get greatly surprised, is to know that Monarchs' main feeding stage occurs during the time when they are caterpillars. | Students cannot believe that over their wintering time in our mountains they mainly drink water and néctar from some flowers. |
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| The colorful classroom | Entrance to the school | |
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| Writing their letters to their new friends | Classes gether outside to show their butterflies. | |
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| Boys play cards, girls play the "Resorte" game, enyoy buying a Méxican meal like pozole, tacos, tortas, a quezadilla, and at last, if 2 pesos are left, a delicious, home-made ice-cream. | ||
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| Many schools have open areas for playing games during their recess time. | ||
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| Emiliano Zapata Elementary, El Asoleadero Community, Ejido El Rosario, Michoacán | ||
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| Arriving to the school and having Rocinante identified by children who run to welcome me. They ask if their letters have arrived! It is a wonderful emotion, an evidence that Journey North has "planted a seed." | We will be teaching 4th, 5th, and 6th graders today and sharing letters. | These students are arriving to school with their mothers. |
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| Teachers welcome Journey North and shout to the children that letters from the Norh brought by Ambassador Butterflies are here! | The mother of a child sick at home asks whether she can attend the "lecture", receive the letter of her little boy and respond to the letter for North American and Canadian children. | All 60 students and their teachers met together in a large, new classroom to receive their letters and compose their notes. |
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| Each student is writing a letter to their new friend in the US and Canada. | ||
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| Students are excited to share with their northern friends. | This mother writes for her son who is absent today. | The group photograph on a beautiful sunny day in January. |
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