We built a native garden and a small vegetable garden near it this past spring, including a bird bath, to try to invite pollinators. The sunflowers finally bloomed in the first month of school and we have observed Monarch caterpillars and Black swallowtail caterpillars. We also got to see them in their chrysalis stage and some of them become butterflies. We hope to plant more native plants in the front of the school to invite more birds to our area.

At environmental club events and even while waiting for parents to pick students up, one of our biology teacher, who is an avid birdwatcher, educates everyone on the birds flying overhead, what we are hearing, and where to look for them. At the beginning of our International Coastal Cleanup event at our high school, she identified the birds flying overhead and explained the best time to view them. This past week as I was leaving school, I saw her waiting with a student and she was identifying birds by sight and sound and educating the student with her.

We are now creating programming for events in the school year to get more students outside, appreciating the environment, and learning about birds!!