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Despite record drought and limited funds, the first graders at Gates County’s Buckland Elementary School are still able to enjoy life and color in their newly established butterfly garden. Under the guidance of their teacher, Susan Parker, and with the help of NC Beautiful’s Windows of Opportunity Grant, the garden is thriving and serves as a valuable learning tool for its young stewards.
Windows of Opportunity provides $1,000 grants to full-time, K-12 North Carolina teachers to reward their creativity fostering environmental stewardship, leadership, and awareness and initiating a sense of community service. NC Beautiful presented 32 schools throughout the state, representing a total of $32,000 in educational grants, with their 2007 Windows of Opportunity Grant.
Each grant applicant was required to complete a five-section online application that included a two-page project narrative, budget, and commitment letter. In her application, Parker described a butterfly garden she started four years ago and explained her need for funds in order to keep the garden growing. She stated that the hands-on lessons cultivated by her garden have proven to be an invaluable learning tool for her students.
“I could have covered several science objectives by planting a seed in a cup of potting soil on our classroom windowsill and handing out worksheets,” stated Parker in her application. “Children should expect more of [their teachers] than that. Please help me give these youngsters the kind of meaningful education that will affect their lives in a powerful way. It could help make the world a better place!”
Parker’s application resulted in Buckland Elementary School being awarded a Windows of Opportunity Grant of $1,000 by NC Beautiful. Parker used these funds to purchase an arbor, fencing, rocks, and additional butterfly plants. The arbor, which frames the entrance to the garden, will be covered with vines that will serve to attract butterflies to the garden.
Parker said that in its first year, the garden had just enough host plants to support three of the four species of butterflies that she had hoped to attract. She says that her students can now identify all three of the butterflies in adult and larval forms when they see them outside.
NC Beautiful Board of Director, Lena Gallitano, was able to visit the garden and said that it was rewarding to be able to personally see the impact that the Windows of Opportunity Grants are having on our state’s younger citizens.
“Watching Ms. Parker use the garden as a basis for her learning activities and seeing the eager responses from her students truly capture the very intent of our grants and NC Beautiful’s mission,” explains Gallitano. “Ms. Parker engages, captivates, and truly connects with her students through this wonderful garden. As a member of NC Beautiful, I’m so proud of the contribution we were able to make to give the Buckland students a firm foundation and appreciation for making North Carolina a more beautiful place to live, learn, and enjoy nature.”
About NC Beautiful
NC Beautiful has been part of the state’s environmental preservation community for 40 years, supporting awareness, education and beautification efforts that affect our quality of life. Today, we concentrate on hands-on and merit-based programs designed to empower our citizens to preserve the natural beauty of the state of North Carolina. Whether it’s school children building outdoor classrooms, graduate students developing cutting-edge research, or a Boy Scout troop planting azaleas at an elder care facility, we make it possible for North Carolinians to keep NC Beautiful.
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lcarey[.]ncbeautiful.org 
