The Ofrenda for the Monarchs designed and created by 4^th and 5^th grade students and their teachers at The Roeper School was accepted as part of the 2015 Ofrenda Altars exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts in collaboration with the Mexican Consulate in Detroit. The Roeper students’ ofrenda will be on display with ofrendas from other local artists from October 23-November 1 in the Rivera Court Special Exhibition Galleries. On November 1 at 3:00 pm, Lower School Spanish Teacher Sara Mendez and 4^th grade student Alyssa Fracasso will represent the school during the artist talk to discuss the meaning and inspiration behind their design.

What started out as an interest in the annual migration of the Monarch Butterfly to Mexico, evolved into a multifaceted interdisciplinary unit for 4^th and 5^th grade students at The Roeper School. Their butterfly study has crossed all disciplines including art, humanities, math, science, Spanish and even physical education class in which they have been playing a game called Monarch Migration.

Artists’ Statement: Our ofrenda is dedicated to the Monarch butterfly whose incredible annual migration unites the countries of Canada, the United States and Mexico, but whose population in recent years is in decline. The migration happily coincides with the Día de los Muertos holiday. Our ofrenda celebrates the discoveries we have made about this amazing creature, while raising awareness of the challenges it faces. In the words of 5^th grader Kennedy, “Monarchs don’t just look pretty, they help educate children and adults alike, pollinate flowers, and build friendships from America to Mexico. Without monarchs, the world wouldn’t be the same.”