Poly Celebrates Festival of Gardening, Butterflies

Poly High School held its third annual Festival of Gardening and Butterflies during the school's wellness week in late March.

Organized by Poly's Garden Club and Special Education Department, the festival aims to encourage students to garden, protect pollinators and become stewards of the environment. The event also promotes environmental awareness and encourages students to appreciate California’s rich biodiversity and support their mental and emotional health through plant care.  

Students in attendance received free plants, gardening tools and other items as they explored over 50 informational tables covering an array of topics, including build-your-own terrariums, dish tables, flower arrangements and hummingbird feeders. The event also included tables highlighting healthy foods and recipes such as cactus BBQ tacos. 

This year’s event was made possible thanks to the efforts of alumni, local nurseries, small business owners and nonprofit organizations who donated their time and products to host informational tables. Fifteen local nonprofit organizations participated in the event including the Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach Sustainability, Long Beach Recycles, Long Beach Garden Club, Long Beach Water Department, Ground Education, California Native Plant Society and more.

“Thank you to all of those who participated, donated and helped create a sense of belonging through Poly's third annual garden festival,” shared Indira Jimenez, a special education teacher at Poly who has led the festival each year since its debut in 2022.