INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State University (WVSU) 4-H is currently holding a World Butterfly Day Species Design Contest, open to youths aged 5-18 statewide.
“The contest was created in honor of World Butterfly Day, which is March 14,” explained WVSU 4-H Extension Agent Tiffany Ward. “West Virginia’s state butterfly, the monarch, has declined in population over the years due to the elimination of its host plant, milkweed. This contest is a creative way to encourage participants to learn about different types of butterflies and the importance of pollinators.”
More than 1,200 youths have entered the competition, so far, to research butterflies and design their own species. The contest closes on March 10, with the entries being judged by WVSU, the National Park Service and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
To enter, adult educators or group leaders can sign up at
https://bit.ly/worldbutterflyday. The winning individual will receive a butterfly kit with binoculars, a port-a-bug enclosure and a butterfly bandana while their classroom or youth group will receive books, field guides, puppets and a magnetic life cycle.
Follow
West Virginia State University on Facebook, Instagram
@wvsu_official, and Twitter
@WVStateU.
West Virginia State University is a public, land grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi‐generational institution, located in Institute, W.Va. As a “living laboratory of human relations,” the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.
West Virginia State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and does not discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, sex/gender, national origin, ancestry, age, blindness, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military status or other category that is protected under federal, State, or local anti-discrimination laws as protected characteristics.