By Christian Warren Freed
There is a certain serenity in seeing hummingbirds and bees flitting among the flowers and bushes. That quiet peace is marred only by the buzzing of wings as each one searches for pollen and, in doing so, performs the valuable cross-pollination service integral to maintaining a healthy and vibrant landscape.
For years now, we have been told of the importance of bees to the ecosystem and, to varying degrees, how they hold a major key to the future of the planet. Holly Springs is no stranger to championing pollinators. In 2018, some of our children and their teachers got involved with the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation. Mayors Dick Sears and Sean Mayefski signed the agreement, and we have been barreling ahead at full steam.
Now, I bet none of you imagined butterflies having anything to do with helping rebuild western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Well, due to the traumatic events of last fall, the staff, parents, and children of Buckhorn Creek Elementary School decided to go beyond expectations and add their efforts to the “Clear the List” Amazon wish list campaign in conjunction with Better World Week. Buckhorn’s second graders, under the guidance of Amanda Ellis and Priscilla Johnson, partnered with Asheville Middle School to provide much-needed materials and supplies to restore local pollinator gardens and clean up the devastated riverbanks.
Recognizing the growing importance of sustainability in education, Ms. Ellis and Ms. Johnson incorporated the work into the school’s expeditionary (hands-on) learning curriculum to help students not only grasp the importance of the relationship between pollinators and our planet, but to discover ways even the youngest of us can help protect endangered species like the popular monarch butterfly. Ms. Ellis’ class then looked inward and began work on their own pollinator garden at Buckhorn Creek. Not only does it enhance the campus, it stands as a visible symbol of partnership, environmental stewardship, and the power of collective action.
Ms. Johnson proudly states, “Creating the garden gave students hands-on experience in teamwork and service, deepening their connections with each other while making a meaningful contribution to the environment. Better World Week truly lived up to its name — empowering students to work as a crew, form positive relationships, and take part in acts of service that reach beyond our school walls.”
Indeed, her sentiments on the importance of planting a pollinator garden on campus are echoed by the myriad young voices. One student emphasized the importance of their effort, “Because some of the pollinators might become extinct and planting a pollinator garden could help bring them back.”
According to the December 2024 report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the monarch butterfly is officially listed as an endangered species. This is the inevitable result of a steady population decline over the last twenty years. (Come to think of it, I don’t remember the last time I saw one flitting through my gardens.)
Thankfully, it’s not too late to help bring them back from the brink. Buckhorn Creek has taken steps to add a variety of milkweed to their school gardens and, in a wonderfully generous move, students are diligently putting together seed packets for the local community in the hopes of more homes creating mini pollinator gardens across our town.
These pollinator seed packets are a call to action. Students are designing the seed packets, writing the directions on how to plant the seeds, and providing information about why butterflies are vital to our community.
Ms. Ellis proudly says, “Students will share [seed packets] with family and friends or around the community. We will challenge our town to plant pollinator gardens to give our precious pollinators the food and homes they need in order to do their ever-important job — to pollinate!”
The monarch butterfly quickly became the program’s focal point. Students and teachers alike rallied around the battle cry of “Protect the Butterfly!” Part of the fourth-quarter curriculum focuses on learning about the dangers butterflies face and steps we can take to protect them. Students have spent weeks exploring the challenges butterflies face — from the destruction of their habitats by the endless tide of new construction, dwindling food sources, and toxic spray chemicals that aren’t good for anyone or anything, to other detrimental factors.
Ask the students, and they won’t hold back. Here are a few quotes that resonate on a deep level:
“We should protect butterflies and their homes; they are important to flowers. Without butterflies, flowers would disappear!”
“People are killing butterflies and don’t even know it. They are spraying chemicals that can hurt butterflies and destroy their habitats.”
One particularly insightful and impactful comment shows a wisdom far beyond the normal worries of a child this age:
“We can protect butterflies in our community by not picking flowers — leave them for the butterflies. Or plant new flowers for the butterflies. We might not be able to change the whole world, but we can make changes in our own area, and then maybe the rest of the world will see what we are doing and decide to do the same thing.”
This drive is being echoed across the country — and the continent. From Canada to Mexico, countless students are working in conjunction with their towns and cities to facilitate the growth and sustainability of the Monarch Superhighway.
Buckhorn Creek’s second grade isn’t solely focused on butterflies, however. The developing curriculum for the third quarter revolved around the different species of pollinators and the effects they have on the environment. They studied bees as a class before breaking into small groups to become subject-matter experts on their own assigned pollinator — from beetles, wasps, and flies to moths, butterflies, and bats. (Now bats — those I’ve seen everywhere!)
Students not only learned about each pollinator, they learned about the plants that are native to North Carolina and what types each species is drawn to. Did you know bees prefer apple trees? I didn’t. Without this pollination, our apple crops dwindle. And with fall fast approaching, we’re going to be looking forward to those apples.
Between doing fantastic work here in our own growing community and helping students in the mountains, the students of Ms. Ellis’ second-grade class have shown us all what a little compassion and insight can provide in our turbulent world. Sometimes it helps to drown out the news, get off social media, and remember what is truly important. So much has changed in the last few generations, but there is nothing a little time outside observing our bees and butterflies at work and putting your hands in the dirt can’t fix.
Hopefully, the hard work of these amazing children has inspired you. Stop by Buckhorn Creek Elementary School’s front office and ask for a wildflower seed packet. Ms. Ellis’ students have some extras that you can pick up to plant at home. Every little bit helps the monarch and other pollinators and enhances the world around us, beginning in our own backyards.
