Westcliff Elementary Pollinator Garden

by Claire Brammer, Audrey Pinyan, & Ashley Wells

This semester has been an incredibly rewarding experience for our Public Health Clinical group. We had the unique opportunity to collaborate with students from Westcliff Elementary, engaging with children ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade. This collaboration has fostered meaningful connections between our group and the students, creating memories that we will cherish for years to come. One of the most exciting aspects of our work was the chance to bring a long-held vision to fruition for the elementary school. The school contains a beautiful outdoor space that, while full of potential, required some creative input and resources to truly come alive. Our clinical group took on the challenge of revitalizing this area, working closely with both the staff and the students to ensure that their ideas and needs were at the forefront of our plans.

Together with the school's environmental club, we brainstormed ways to enhance the outdoor space. After discussions and planning sessions, we settled on the idea of creating a butterfly garden. This concept not only beautified the area but also served as an educational tool for the students, allowing them to learn about nature and the environment in a hands-on way. We began by designing the garden layout and selecting native plants that would thrive in the local environment and attract butterflies. These plants were carefully chosen to ensure they would not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the garden but also support local wildlife. The plants that we chose included sage, blue mistflower, and yuca. We hope that future clinical groups add milkweed to the garden, since this is one of the most effective pollinator plants. The students were actively involved in this process, learning about different plant species and their role in the ecosystem.

In addition to planting, we transformed the surrounding area into an interactive learning space. We painted a mural on the sidewalk depicting the life cycle of a butterfly, creating a vibrant, educational path that students can walk along and engage with. This mural not only serves as a beautiful piece of art but also acts as a visual learning tool, helping students understand the transformation butterflies undergo from caterpillars to adults. Overall, this project has been a remarkable journey for our group and the students at Westcliff Elementary. It has provided us with invaluable experiences in collaboration, creativity, and community engagement. We are proud to have contributed to a space that will foster learning and appreciation for nature among the students, and we look forward to seeing how this butterfly garden flourishes in the coming years.