Among the Butterflies: Reflections from Our Monarch Scholarship Winners

Four exceptional educators earned a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the monarch migration on Nat Hab’s Kingdom of the Monarchs adventure, journeying deep into Central Mexico’s forested highlands alongside expert naturalist guides. Surrounded by towering oyamel fir trees blanketed with millions of delicate, orange-and-black butterflies, the teachers observed firsthand the extraordinary spectacle of monarchs gathering at their winter roosting grounds. Here, two of our Monarch Butterfly Scholarship Grant recipients share reflections on this unforgettable experience:

Lindsey Paulsen: From Snowstorms to Sanctuaries

This winter, I had the incredible honor of receiving the Monarch Butterfly Grant Scholarship from Natural Habitat Adventures, which provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the monarch butterflies in their overwintering sanctuaries in Mexico—something I’ve taught my first-grade students about for years but never dreamed I’d witness firsthand.

Getting to Mexico was challenging due to a winter storm in my area. Thankfully, I made it through the snow to the airport, and my flight miraculously departed on time. It truly felt like the trip was meant to be.

Upon arriving in Mexico City, I met fellow scholarship-winning educators. Together, we visited an anthropology museum filled with fascinating artifacts from ancient Maya, Inca and Aztec civilizations—perfectly aligned with an upcoming unit for my first graders. I eagerly took numerous pictures, excited to bring these real-world visuals back to my classroom.

The following day, we journeyed into the mountains to visit one of the monarch sanctuaries. The experience was surreal—traveling in open-bed trucks, riding horseback and hiking the mountain trail. Coming from small-town Indiana, I never imagined myself in such a remote, sacred and beautiful location. Reaching the grove where thousands of monarchs roosted overwhelmed me emotionally. The trees were heavy with butterflies, their delicate wings creating an ethereal hush. It was cold and damp, so most monarchs remained stationary, but just standing there—witnessing something I’d only read about—was breathtaking.

Each subsequent sanctuary visit was uniquely special, and we learned so much from our local guides and each other. I eagerly shared my journey in real-time with my students, sending emails and videos directly from the mountain, and prepared a travel journal for my class to follow my journey. This experience represented everything education should be: authentic, meaningful and full of wonder.

This incredible journey enriched my life and provided powerful stories to share with my students. Standing where the monarchs rest is an experience I’ll carry forever.

Jeanine Ging: Inspiring Lessons at Home and Abroad

The ride up to the Monarch Sanctuary was thrilling and refreshingly cool in the back of our truck. I was excited to ride on horseback, something I hadn’t done since I was a teenager. After dismounting and beginning the hike up the mountain right behind our guide, reality truly set in—I was finally going to witness the phenomenon of overwintering monarchs. After years of teaching children and adults about monarch life cycles, the migration and milkweed, and spending autumns tagging monarchs for citizen science, it felt surreal to be there in person. Breathing heavily from the climb and feeling the burn in my legs, I paused when our guide pointed into the trees. The day was foggy, and through the mist, I could just make out the monarch clusters gathered in the branches. Standing quietly, I was awed by the sight before I started capturing photos and videos to bring this incredible experience back home. I even activated my Project Monarch app, hoping to detect a monarch equipped with a transmitter.

It was surreal to stand silently among the trees, observing hundreds of monarchs clustered together, appearing as though they were dripping from the branches. I kept thinking, “I’m really here.” The variety in the formations fascinated me—some clusters thick and dense, others spread across branches. Monarchs also scattered the ground and bushes, with the occasional solitary butterfly resting alone.

Our Nat Hab Expedition Leaders anticipated every possible need, blending adventure with comfort. They shared extensive knowledge about monarchs, local culture and history, always ready to answer questions and accommodate special requests like birdwatching and tasting local chocolate.

This scholarship provided invaluable experiences, photographs and knowledge I can now share with my students and community through presentations, walks and tagging events, encouraging others to care about monarchs and their habitats. Thank you for this amazing opportunity!