Monarch Sister Schools Program

The Monarch Sister Schools Program assists students & teachers in planting habitat gardens for Monarch butterflies and pollinators, providing hands-on STEAM nature learning experiences. 90% of monarchs have disappeared due to habitat loss. We focus on Habitat Restoration, Curriculum, & Cultural Exchange.

- Habitat Restoration. Students plant Pollinator Gardens (over 40 in DC, MD & VA) to support the Monarch’s life cycle and provide nectar to fuel their migration, including the one garden planted with First Lady Michelle Obama and Congressional Spouses in DC.

In Mexico, students at our sister schools near the renown Monarch Biosphere Reserve, where Monarchs overwinter (November – March), operate nurseries to produce the ‘baby trees’ needed to reforest damaged areas of the Reserve. To date, close to 50 acres of forest have been restored by students.

- Curriculum. In the U.S. and Mexico, a core feature is hands-on learning activities, aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and designed to enrich STEM programs with student projects and workshops.

- Cultural Exchange. We facilitate a dynamic cultural exchange between American and Mexican students via Zoom, opening new horizons for them and a veritable “flight of imagination” across borders and cultures.

For more information about the Program, please visit www.monarchsisterschools.org or contact us at MaryAnne@MonarchSisterSchools.org