Students Create Butterfly Garden At LTHS

LOCKPORT, IL — Over the past few months, LTHS students in the Horticulture Club, Interact Club and environmental science classes have worked to create a pollinator garden at LTHS East campus.

Horticulture Club, which is sponsored by Colleen Martin, began growing Illinois native plants in the greenhouse, and kept growing them until the last week of school, Martin said. Andrea Quintanar sponsors Interact Club, and Sonja Jackson teaches environmental science students.

The groups came together on the project, and Landscape Design students designed an area outside door 19 at the school, with a butterfly bench and pathway also included.

Martin said nameplates with the Latin and common names of each plant will be added in the fall.

LTHS is also a registered Monarch Waystation, a place that provides necessary resources for Monarch butterflies. The school hopes to establish a local Monarch population and continue to be a registered way station, Martin said.

The project also includes a Monarch butterfly mural on the greenhouse garden shed, which was painted by graduating seniors Eliana Anselmo and Grace Weisner. Members of the LTHS community can walk up to the butterfly and spread their wings for a photo, Martin said.

Several student groups came together for the project, including staff members Andrea Quintanar, who sponsors Interact Club, and Sonja Jackson, who teaches environmental science students.