Butterfly Project, Daphne High School — Daphne High School Students

The Butterfly Project

DHS and ESAC collaborate on a project to promote social justice and resilience

“We have 739 ceramic butterflies that need to be fired for ‘The Butterfly Project’. My question is… Is this possible?”

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When Daphne High School teacher Kat Robinson reached out to ESAC Academy Director Reanna Watson, her first thought was “739 pieces of pottery to be fired… IMPOSSIBLE!”

Watson states, “After we learned more, neither ESAC Ceramics Director Maria Spies nor I could say no to participating in such an impactful project.”

Butterfly Project, Maria Spies — Maria Spies

“Our project, in collaboration with the DHS Theatre Department, will include students in history classes learning about the Holocaust and creating ceramic butterflies in remembrance of the children who perished. Butterflies were chosen as a symbol of individuality and hopefulness. In April, Mrs. Jackson’s students will perform the one-act play version of “I Never Saw Another Butterfly,” and the butterflies will be used as part of the set and lobby decorations. Upon completion of the play, the butterflies will be used to create a permanent art installation, fostering a tangible connection between our students and the essential values of tolerance, justice, and Holocaust remembrance.” – Kat Robinson

“The Butterfly Project”, launched in 2006 by educator Jan Landau and artist Cheryl Rattner, uses art to create a stunning visual statement about social justice and the Holocaust. Audiovisual resources, literature, victim impact statements, and primary source artifacts from the Holocaust are studied by students, creating a tangible link to the bigotry and hatred that resulted in mass genocide. “By painting ceramic butterflies, participants remember the 1.5 million children killed during the Holocaust,” states the Butterfly Project website. Every participating student receives a card with the bio, photo, and name of a Jewish child killed during the Holocaust. 62% of states in the US do not require Holocaust education (US Millennial Holocaust Knowledge and Awareness Survey) so it is quite impressive that the Project has reached all 50 states, 25 countries, and on every continent.

Kat, DHS’s Honor History Teacher and Social Studies Department Co Chair, approached ESAC about renting kiln space to fire the large amount of butterflies. Maria Spies and our ESAC team agreed to fire the pieces as an in kind sponsorship for the project. Spies donated her time loading and unloading the work, ESAC pottery students helped to apply clear glaze to 739 individual pieces, and ESAC waived all firing fees.

We are honored to have taken part in “The Butterfly Project” and thank Kat Robinson and Daphne High School students for instilling resilience and hope within our own communities.

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