West Hills Primary kindergarten student William Day points as a butterfly takes wing. He is joined by fellow kindergarteners Zachary Day (his brother) and Ashlyn Gray in the background. Teachers said it was magical to see the kids responding to the butterfly release.

On Tuesday, May 13, West Hills Primary (Kittanning) students and teachers held a butterfly release after spending three weeks studying, observing and writing journal entries about butterfly larva (caterpillars).

Lindsay Landgraf, kindergarten, West Hills Primary, holds a butterfly

Thanks to a variety of grants, all 667 students at West Hills Primary received live butterfly larva and related study materials to participate in the butterfly release and outdoor classroom learning experience. The children learned about metamorphosis and had the unique opportunity to glimpse the complexity and miracle of nature right in their own classrooms. Each grade released their butterflies around the school.

(left to right): West Hills Primary kindergarten students Austin Moore, Nick Parisi, Ryan Murawski and Isaac Ridinger look in tubes called butterfly habitats. These allow the children to observe the butterflies without injuring them.

The teachers hope some butterflies will linger to take advantage of the butterfly gardens being developed as part of the Outdoor Classroom funded by the Richard and Barbra Snyder Foundation which is affiliated with The Armstrong County Community Foundation. The gardens will provide a wealth of learning opportunities in the future.

(left to right): West Hills Primary kindergarten students Megan McCullough, Gareb Rosensteel, and Braden Clever enjoy the company of a butterfly.

The ASD Foundation funded a teacher resource center which was used by all teachers providing a variety of innovative, motivational, and unique ideas for activities about nature, gardens and butterflies for each grade level.