Thanks to a group of fourth-grade students at Bethlehem Elementary School, a Butterfly Garden will be a new and unique part of the BES Garden this spring. 

The fourth graders pitched “Butterfly Beauty at BES” at the annual BES Shark Tank this week. 

This project was initiated and completed during the 4^th grade ELA WYN block – What You Need. During this enrichment period with BES Library Media Specialist Caitlin Kelleher and Interventionist Bonnie Brent, students worked on an inquiry-based project to come up with a fantasy school beautification project and work together to present it. Since there was already a robust garden at BES, the kids decided on a Butterfly Garden. 

The students said a Butterfly Garden will benefit the school in three ways:  It will help the ecosystem because butterflies are great pollinators just like bees, butterflies fertilize the plants which will make more flowers, and it will make the school look more beautiful.

The group researched, interviewed, sketched, surveyed, and collaborated on a proposal that they could share at the Shark Tank pitch session to Principal Wendy Yatsenick and several BES Instructional Leaders. With an overwhelming vote of support, the students will move on to the next phase of the project to ensure butterflies have a garden this spring.

"We wanted to turn our fantasy into a reality, and we received full support from Mrs. Y to continue our project onto phase 2,” Kelleher said. Phase 2 includes fundraising and soliciting donations from local nurseries, preparing cost estimates, and raising caterpillars for future release. 

The proposal included a list of butterfly-friendly plants including Milkweed, Coneflower,  Buddleia, Sunflower, Blazing Star, and Phlox, and garden materials of rounds, fencing, poles, and benches. 

“The kids are beyond thrilled with this project,” Kelleher said.

The students are: Charlie Parmelee, Jackie Girgasky, Robbie Girgasky, Grace Bunnell, Julia Farisello, and Freddy Prines.