Butterfly Garden Planting 2007

The fifth grade students of Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies visited the Governor's Mansion on May 23rd for the annual Butterfly Garden Planting. The students earned this adventure by taking completel responsibility for constructing a butterfly garden at their school. Mrs. Sharon Witte and Mrs. Janice Catledge wrote a state Quality Science and Math Grant for the funds to build the garden. The 54 students had six different committees from location, horticulture, construction to purchasing, publicity and landscaping. After students decided on the materials needed, they searched on-line for price. They ordered the supplies and then were responsible for organizing the students to build the garden. After they completed the garden, the students distributed monarch caterpillars to all of the classes in their school. The students explained the life cycle of butterflies and acted as consultants for the classes. The whole school enjoyed the hard work of the fifth grade classes, and the students were very proud of what they had achieved. The planting of the Mansion garden by the children was supervised by the state horticulturist, Josette Lester. They were treated to a picnic on the grounds and a tour of the public rooms of the mansion.