Meet the Marvelous Marvels: A Celebration of 10 Exceptional Monarch Heroes Teachers

Join National Wildlife Federation in celebrating 10 teachers whose innovation, commitment, and leadership over the years has defined them as iconic Monarch Heroes on their campus and in their community. These teachers were either nominated by their school community or they were self-nominated. We asked our nominees to share three reflections about their campus monarch gardens and what makes them personally meaningful. 

1. What is your favorite memory in the garden?
2. What is your favorite native plant in the garden and why?
3. How has creating the school garden felt personally meaningful to you?

Laura Kaarlsen, Nichols ES, San Antonio, TX

Nomination: An outstanding leader with Project ACORN, Mrs. Kaarlsen’s passion for monarch conservation quickly distinguished her. Seven years ago, she transformed a small idea into a vibrant reality at Nichols Elementary by creating a pollinator garden and outdoor classroom designed to welcome monarchs.

When the Monarch Heroes opportunity became available, Mrs. Kaarlsen immediately applied on behalf of her school. Her ability to engage the entire campus, inspire authentic learning, and foster a sense of stewardship in young children made Mrs. Kaarlsen a natural fit. Because of her leadership, hundreds of students now see themselves as protectors of the monarch butterfly’s journey. Mrs. Kaarlsen truly stands as Northside ISD’s Monarch Hero.

Favorite memory in the garden: The first time I found a monarch egg in the garden was magical! Knowing that a monarch had chosen our milkweed to lay her eggs, and the promise that egg held, was beyond amazing. It was the perfect culmination of everything we had done to that point, and a confirmation that “if you plant it (milkweed), they will come!” 

What has creating the school garden meant to you personally? Creating the garden has been a labor of absolute love and has given me literal roots at my school. From the spark of an idea to the established garden of today, it has brought such a sense of satisfaction and excitement.

Students, staff, and community members have helped create the Storybook Garden, Pollinator Patch, and Outdoor Classroom over the course of several years. The overall garden fills over 2,000 square feet and serves as a monarch nursery, pocket prairie, bird sanctuary, sit spot, memorial, weather station, and a welcome to our school for both people and wildlife!

Christina Psencik, Arnold ES, San Antonio, TX

Nomination: Mrs. Psencik is the leader and primary steward of our Monarch Heroes garden. She has made connections and secured contacts and partnerships with other community members to support the garden and its development. Mrs. Psencik and her team spent a day last year planting about 40 new native plants in our garden.

While it was tiring work, she made it fun. Seeing native milkweed plants sprouting made it all worthwhile. We know that monarch butterflies have a place to pollinate in our community. Mrs. Psencik enjoys gardening and supports this pollinator garden very generously with her time, energy, and attention.

Favorite memory in the garden: My favorite recollections of our garden are the watering days. Last school year, my Head Start class partnered with other students to water the garden beds using their watering pails. It was so nice to see their enthusiasm for being outdoors and tending to our pollinator garden.

Favorite native plant in the garden. Gregg’s Mistflower is my favorite Texas native plant. It stands out because of its bright, powdery blue color that contrasts with its light green leaves. As a low-maintenance plant, it does well as a “love it and leave it” plant. It is a pollinator favorite.

Celia Tovar, Garza High School, Austin, TX

Nomination: Celia goes above and beyond to keep our butterfly garden, and, as she would say “protect our baby milkweeds that have pods”.  She is out there at least once a day watering and pulling weeds. Although we have graduated from the program, Celia keeps the program alive by bringing awareness to her current students.

She always updates the students on the milkweeds and tells funny stories about the invasive species that were not “invited” to live there and are invading the space of our native species. She is planning a big workday for the garden so that we can prep it for the fall migration and wintertime. 

Favorite memory in the garden: My favorite memory in the garden is when the parents and students all came together to help mulch and plant native plants. It was a wonderful experience, and the kids were so proud of their work. One of our students designed the garden and put so much work into making sure it was visually beautiful. It looks wonderful!

What has creating the school garden meant to you personally? Working with my coworkers and my students in the garden was such a great experience! It is the feeling of being a part of a group of people with a common goal—in this case, helping the environment and the monarch butterflies.

Crystal Holub, Walnut Creek ES, Austin, TX

Nomination: At Walnut Creek Elementary last year, I watched Ms. Holub and her team plan, plant, and care for the garden in an underutilized space at the school. They worked to bring beauty and resources to Walnut Creek that pair well with our outdoor education programming! A once under-utilized space is now a pollinator oasis.

Favorite memory in the garden: My favorite memory would be when we first started building it; when we had a community workday, and everyone pitched in to help!

What has creating the school garden meant to you personally?  It has brought meaningful experiences for all involved, and to all who experience it. I have always liked butterflies, and through this experience have learned more about the monarch butterfly, and I continue to learn. I love the other educators I work with. I am truly blessed to be in this profession and to have opportunities like this.

Claudia Delgado, Hawthorne ES, Dallas, TX

Nomination: Through outstanding leadership and innovation, Ms. Delgado has developed our school garden into a vibrant hub of learning and connection. Because of her vision and dedication, what began as a simple outdoor space has grown into a powerful instructional tool. Her work not only enriches student learning but also strengthens our school community.

The garden is a place where students, staff, and families can connect, collaborate, and celebrate learning together. Ms. Delgado’s efforts exemplify creativity, collaboration, and commitment to student success, making her highly deserving of recognition for this work.

Favorite native plant in the garden: The milkweed is my favorite native plant because it’s the heart of our monarch habitat. Students love discovering caterpillars and watching the life cycle unfold. It beautifully connects science, conservation, and wonder—reminding us that small actions can help protect an entire species.

What has creating the school garden meant to you personally? Creating our school garden has been one of the most meaningful parts of my teaching career. It has strengthened students’ connection to nature and provided a space where curiosity, science, and well-being grow together. To me, it is a living classroom where not only plants flourish, but also future citizens who care deeply for our planet.

Claire Collop, Adamson HS, Dallas, TX

Nomination (self): When I became lead on the Monarch Heroes program, I had zero experience in plants and was beginning my third year of teaching as a second career. The project seemed daunting!  With the encouragement and advice of NWF (Karen Bishop), slowly the journey and the garden unfolded.

My head garden student was launched into local recognition when his work in the garden and to improve walkability around the school garnered attention from D Magazine and Telemundo. He was also chosen as youth commission by our local councilman. We are still building and expanding our garden. It is great to see the kids so actively involved.  One student recently told me her goal after college is to move back to her hometown in Mexico and build more native gardens. 

Favorite native plant in the garden: The goldenrod—I like how it blooms so late and the burnt yellow color sets the stage for autumn’s leaves

What has creating the school garden meant to you personally? The garden transformed my life.  It has altered how I connect with the kids, and how I teach. I have learned to let go of trying to do projects myself and let the students be the innovators and drivers of the project. I am just here to help them facilitate their dreams, ideas and projects and see them come to life.

Nicole Jones, Lakewood ES, Dallas, TX

Nomination (self): Inspired by the Monarch Heroes Program, I have worked to make monarch and pollinator conservation a vibrant and lasting part of our school culture. I have helped transform unused campus spaces into thriving native habitats and outdoor learning environments. Students learn about the Monarch’s life cycle and migration while experiencing firsthand how their actions, which include planting native milkweed and nectar plants, can positively impact the environment.

This work has strengthened community involvement, encouraged cross-grade collaboration, and fostered a culture of environmental stewardship among students and staff. The transformation of our outdoor spaces is remarkable. Areas once covered with invasive Bermuda grass and slated for resodding have become a native prairie and monarch butterfly haven.

Favorite memory in the garden: My favorite memory is our annual wildflower seed stomp. It started as a small class activity and has become a schoolwide tradition. Students learn how to plant native wildflower seeds and scatter them across our prairie.

They come back often to look for new seedlings. In spring, my class visits the blooming garden to take Mother’s Day photos. These moments always fill them with pride and wonder. Seeing students connect their hard work to the beauty in the garden makes this event one of the most meaningful and joyful parts of our year.

What has creating the school garden meant to you personally? Creating and caring for our school garden, a vibrant pollinator habitat, has been one of the most meaningful parts of my teaching journey. The Monarch Heroes Program sparked my passion for native plants and conservation, which led me to become a North Texas Master Naturalist and Dallas County Master Gardener.

I use what I have learned to guide students, support teachers, and share with our community. The garden is a place for learning, reflection, and connection. Here, children care for living things, explore nature, and discover the difference they can make.

Sandra Salazar, Brookline ES, Houston, TX

Nomination: Mrs. Salazar’s dedication and hard work as well as the help of her students, has transformed the school garden into a beautiful and thriving space. They have revitalized the garden and created a peaceful environment where learning and personal growth can flourish.

She generously devotes her time to teaching students about gardening, providing them with hands-on experience, and offering a meaningful way to relieve stress and connect with nature. Her passion and commitment have made a lasting impact on both the garden and the students who benefit from it. It’s more than just a garden—it’s a reflection of her passion and the positive impact she has on our school community.

What has creating the school garden meant to you personally? The garden has given my students a sense of accomplishment, belonging, and teamwork, and that brings me joy. Even with our intense summer and fall heat, the best sound is hearing students ask when our garden club will meet again. Nothing beats knowing they’re excited to work in the garden. It’s also significant to me when staff donates yard art, plants, and suggestions for the garden. It has become a little “patch of happy,” at Brookline, where learning takes place, and our senses are awakened.

Tina Culp-McDonald, Diamond Hill ES, Fort Worth, TX

Nomination: Tina is an inspirational team lead. She exemplifies the values of teamwork and connecting with the local community. I remember visiting with Tina on a hot summer day and talking about the future vision of the garden space and all it could be. Despite the heat, through her vision, it felt like we had stepped into the future garden! Her can-do attitude, flexibility, and leadership help guide me working with new teams as they take their first steps in the program. With Tina, all feel heard, respected, and valued.

Favorite memory in the garden: My favorite memory is the kids planning out the design and measuring the height of each plant they chose to be in the space. 

How has creating the school garden felt personally meaningful to you? Creating a school garden has given everyone a beautiful space to learn and enjoy nature, from PreK-5th grade. 

Cristina Garza, Durkee ES, Houston, Texas

Nomination: Since 2005, Ms. Garza has been the driving force behind the garden spaces at Durkee Elementary. She worked with National Wildlife Federation and other partners to turn an underutilized courtyard into a thriving wildlife habitat and outdoor classroom. Her passion for experiential learning in nature, and her stewardship of an ever-evolving outdoor classroom and habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, even beyond her retirement, exemplifies Ms. Garza as a true Monarch Hero.

In 2023, two years after her retirement, Ms. Garza returned to Durkee Elementary as a volunteer and helped NWF train a new generation of teachers helping to ensure the area remains a useful well-loved resource on the Durkee campus.  

Favorite native plant in the garden: One of my favorite plants in the garden is the passion vine. It has a beautiful purple flower that always catches my eye. It’s also the host plant for the Gulf fritillary butterfly. The students love watching the butterfly’s life cycle up close—from tiny eggs to caterpillars, chrysalises, and finally butterflies. It’s such a wonderful way for them to connect with nature and see science come to life right in the garden.

What has creating the school garden meant to you personally? It’s been wonderful to see students connect with nature, learn where their food comes from, and discover the beauty of plants, insects and other living organisms up close. I truly enjoyed watching the students have fun while learning—their excitement and laughter made every moment special. Seeing their curiosity grow, especially when they noticed a tiny monarch egg become a beautiful butterfly right in our garden, reminded me how powerful hands-on learning can be.

Through the years, Durkee’s garden has truly become my passion—a place that brings our school community together and inspires care for the environment.

To learn more about the Monarch Heroes program visit our website where you can also download our bilingual Monarch Mission curriculum for free. To learn more about native milkweed and other resources to support the monarch butterfly visit NWF’s Milkweed for Monarch’s page.