Kennedy0908
Registered: May 2022
City/Town/Province: Charleston
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Pollinators are the key to our food source. Without them, we do not eat and it is as simple as that. Over the last 30 years, pollinator populations have suffered serious losses due to climate change, invasive pests, disease, pollution, and habitat loss. In the United States, over 90 specialty crops require pollination by pollinators and lots of these pollinators’ populations have been greatly decreased and in some cases the species are extinct due to the aforementioned reasons. In an attempt to increase the pollinator population, specifically Monarch Butterflies, I created a pollinator habitat at a local elementary school. Throughout the creation of this butterfly garden, I educated the children about the importance of pollinators in our future food supply. I then had each student nurture and care for their very own caterpillar. The children watched and nurtured their caterpillar into an adult butterfly. Once the pollinators reached adulthood, the students and I released the butterflies into our butterfly garden. The goal of this project was that these butterflies would lay eggs and continue the lifecycle of these insects. This would aid in increasingthepollinatorpopulation. Ialsohadthestudentscreatepublicserviceannouncements which aired on the school’s news show in an attempt to educate others about the importance of pollinators. I put the children in groups of two or three and they were tasked with the job of teaching other children about pollinators and their role in our food sources. Each child created a two-minute educational video for their peers. Lastly, the students and I repurposed plastic bottles and used them to create butterfly feeders and bee hotels. These butterfly feeders and bee hotels were given to the students to take home and hang in their yards so that they could share the importance of taking care of pollinators with their families, as well as, feed butterflies and providing shelter for bees. Since these insects are an integral part of ensuring the continuation of our communities’ food source, this project provided these children with the opportunity to change the world for the better and at the same time taught them empathy for the creatures around them and environmental responsibility.
This project allowed me to share my passion for caring for the environment, taking responsibility, and being proactive with the next generation of people. I believe action and education are the key to creating change.
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