Monarch Butterfly Rescue Project Teachers Headed To The 2016 NCEA New Directions STREAM 2.0 Symposium

Kate Rezac from St. Margaret Mary School in Omaha, NE, and Connie Taylor from Rosary Cathedral School in Toledo, OH, won the all-expenses-paid trip to Aston, PA 

Monday, June 27, 2016
Arlington, Va. – Since 2014, a generous grant from Dr. Judith Wagner has helped the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), inspired by MonarchRescue.org and Pope Francis’ call for environmental stewardship, support six member schools to help ease the perilous migration of the Monarch butterfly.  This year, as an added incentive for participating teachers, Dr. Wagner offered an all-expenses paid trip to the 2016 NCEA New Directions STREAM 2.0 Symposium for a teacher who energetically embraced the project. Kate Rezac and Connie Taylor both impressed Dr. Wagner.  For more information on the symposium,  visit here.
 
The annual migration of Monarch butterflies is threatened, in large part because of the disappearance of a plant the Monarch needs to breed along its route: milkweed.  The Monarch butterfly will lay its eggs only on milkweed and its caterpillars eat only milkweed. NCEA’s participating schools are strategically located where Monarch butterfly activity and production are best supported.  Teachers and students monitor the success or failure of their gardens, learning from problems and planning improvements for subsequent years. But, as noted by Interim President Thomas Burnford, “The most important part of the project is the learning module that incorporates Catholic social teaching on stewardship of the resources God has provided us.”  
 
Dr. Wagner found the teachers’ dedication to researching, planning, building and maintaining successful Monarch-friendly butterfly gardens to be well matched.  In response, Dr. Wagner  offered to sponsor both of them.  Along with NCEA Educational Resource Manager Andrea Kopp, Rezac and Taylor will join Dr. Wagner presenting the session, Monarch Rescue Project: Using STREAM Methodology to Teach Environmental Issues. 
 
To follow the progress of Kate Rezac and Connie Taylor, their students and the other participating classrooms, go to the NCEA Blog, NCEATALK, Twitter #NCEAMonarch and the NCEA website. 
 
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