The students and staff at Hopewell Elementary School recently unveiled a new butterfly garden in the school's courtyard area. Hopewell was awarded $4,600 from the Oxford Education Foundation to create the outdoor learning environment.

Six flower beds were created by Seaman Hardscape and planted by the Green Thumb Garden Club. Oxford Feed and Lumber provided lumber for the eight picnic tables and benches that line the garden walkway, which were built by student volunteers from the Chester County Technical College High School and their teacher, Gary Schmaltz.

The Oxford Parent-Teacher Organization donated large umbrellas for each of the tables.

The Oxford Arts Alliance contributed a birdhouse and Philips Florist donated hanging flower baskets, while Hopewell students and art teacher Christina Musselman created globes for the garden area. Support for the project was also provided by the Oxford Lions Club.

The garden dedication concluded with the releases of 33 butterflies that were raised from larvae by students in Jennifer Sauer's sixth grade class.