Do you realize how much of modern human life depends on tiny buzzing insects?  Without bees many of our favorite foods would be gone or vastly more expensive.  And it’s not even just fruit we’d be missing: even *gasp* chocolate and coffee would be at risk.  And bee populations are declining at an alarming rate.
Hold on folks – we’ll save your chocolate!  The kids at Casa de la Esperanza are coming to the rescue – informing the public on how we can all help the bees!

In our two week long Cottonwood Institute “mini-CAP” class the middle and high school residents of Casa de la Esperanza in Longmont welcomed Teen Librarian and Apian Aficionado Amy Fontenot.  Her engrossing talk about the roles bees play in our lives and culture inspired us to throw a bee party to spread the word.  We made a bee costume so we could have a bee spokesperson, put together a display with bee art and information, built bee boxes, made flyers with information on pesticides to avoid and how to build your own bee box.

We held our bee party at the Longmont Museum’s first outdoor concert of the summer.  More than a hundred people passed by, stopping to talk to the kids and get samples of Willowby Farms winter and summer honeys. The CAP class at Casa did more than help bees, it helped create a hive of community in South Longmont.  Kids from Casa and surrounding neighborhoods got together each evening to play games, have fun, break down social barriers and feel empowered to be an important part of the community.  Special thanks to all of our community partners in creating this special experience: People and Pollinators Network, Longmont Library, Firehouse Art Center, City of Longmont Code Enforcement, Longmont Museum and, of course, the folks at Casa de la Esperanza and Cottonwood Institute.

Did you miss out on the party? Check out these links to see how you can Bee a Bee Hero!  Make a bee box in <5 minutes    Find out common names of harmful neonicatinoids (insecticides)

Check out more photos from the project here!
Written by CAP class instructor Erin Angel