CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — For the past 15 years, Merryhill Preschool has celebrated Earth Day by teaching students valuable lessons about the environment.
This year, the school released about 13,0000 ladybugs to help protect their playground and local vegetation. The students are learning that ladybugs serve as a natural pesticide by feeding on insects that could otherwise harm the health of gardens, trees, and shrubs.
“They’re seeing education in action,” said principal Peyton Johnston. “It’s great to get that instilled in them right now protecting our Earth because this is our future generation and it’s fun to get to see them learning live in action.”
According to the school, their curriculum combines learning experiences and structured play to help children grow academically, socially, and emotionally – all while having fun. Johnston said the annual ladybug release fits right into their mission.
“That’s really that big play-based learning idea,” Johnston said. “These kiddos are in that age where they develop so much and so instilling that now so then they continue to have those virtues as they grow up is really important for them.”
Merryhill released the ladybugs as part of their Earth Day celebration to help students like 5-year-old Brynn Austin understand the importance of winged beetles and helping the environment.
“That you shouldn’t keep things where they’re not supposed to be,” Austin said. “Like trash and (you’re) not supposed to leave that on the ground.”
The school ordered the ladybugs through a website and had to keep them in a refrigerator to keep them dormant. Johnston said they brought the beetles out in the morning, and they were ready to go.
“The kids seemed to have a lot of fun,” Johnston said. “Just seeing faces and them smiling so much when they see thousands and thousands of them, it’s always so fun.”
It is an assignment that the school hopes will be a lifelong lesson that teaches their students the importance of community and taking care of the environment where they live.
“Learning and community and (it’s) fun for them,” Johnston said. “I think these are great memories for them to have and to grow up just remembering something like this.”
For more information about Merryhill Preschool, click here.
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