At the Saints Academy in Beverly, the arrival of a FedEx box from Monarch Watch marks the start of an exciting new school year for the fourth-grade class. Inside the box are 30 to 36, tiny monarch caterpillars, each no bigger than a grain of rice. Armed with magnifying glasses, the students eagerly examine the caterpillars, setting the stage for an unforgettable learning experience.

Over the next four to six weeks, the students closely observe and record the caterpillars' growth on designated recording sheets. The transformation is mesmerizing, with the caterpillars growing remarkably fast. Caring for them requires daily tasks like cleaning their enclosures and providing fresh milkweed stalks, an essential food source for monarchs. Milkweed is critical for their survival, making its availability an essential part of the project.

When the caterpillars finally metamorphosed into butterflies, the students released them to embark on their migration to Mexico. Although it's bittersweet to say goodbye, the children take pride in knowing that they have become an integral part of the recovery efforts to protect an endangered species. The experience brings science to life while allowing students to witness the wonders of nature firsthand and participate in the call to be stewards of God's creation.

This year, the Saints Academy fourth graders added another layer of excitement by joining the Symbolic Monarch Migration Project. This initiative, a collaboration between the Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum and Monarchs Across Georgia, connects students across North America. Collaboratively, the class created a paper butterfly to represent the Saints Academy and the Boston Area as part of the program and sent it on its way. In November, the students discovered that their class butterfly had "migrated" to Lazaro Carden Elementary School in Mexico. Seeing their butterfly online being held by a student in Mexico was a thrilling experience for the class. Before the school year concludes, the students are looking forward to receiving a letter from their partner school in Mexico.

Additionally, each student got to design and color their paper butterfly in the fall, and by spring, they will receive a butterfly from another participating scholar. The class is enthusiastically looking forward to receiving a butterfly from students across the U.S. and Canada. This year, over twelve hundred schools are participating in the project, which helps raise awareness about the importance of protecting the monarch butterfly's ecosystem while building meaningful connections with their peers across North America.

This year-long experiential learning project creates young scholars who will grow into passionate advocates for protecting habitats and caring for the environment, ensuring a future where monarch butterflies continue to thrive.



MRS. CATHY MCGRATH IS THE FOURTH-GRADE TEACHER AT THE SAINTS ACADEMY IN BEVERLY, A PRE-K THROUGH GRADE EIGHT SCHOOL. THE SAINTS ACADEMY ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSE WILL TAKE PLACE ON TUESDAY, JAN. 28, 2025, AT 9:00 A.M. AND 6:00 P.M.