“Butterfly Girl” meets Jane Goodall

Genevieve Leroux, the D’Arcy McGee High School student who gained quite a bit of notoriety through her work in the field of Monarch Butterfly preservation, had the opportunity to meet Jane Goodall on Tuesday, September 24.

The day before Dr Goodall presented her lecture at Ottawa’s Centrepointe Theatre, entitled “Inspiration in Action”, she met with the 13-year-old, nicknamed ‘the Butterfly Girl’ and even mentioned the young girl by name during the following night’s presentation.

During the course of their meeting, the world-famous primatologist and anthropologist tasked Genevieve with a huge project that will link all Roots and Shoots projects that exist along the Monarch Butterfly’s migratory route, initiating in southern Canada, continuing through the United States all the way to the high mountain forests in Southern Mexico where the Monarchs overwinter until spring. 

When spring arrives, the Monarchs return north and pollinator habitat restoration, milkweed planting and tagging programs, led by youth from all three countries, are playing a pivotal role in saving the iconic species from extinction. 

A winner of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes in 2018, Genevieve was selected from among the 2018 prize winners to have her work showcased in a video on the organization’s website, inspiringyoungheroes.org.

To read more about Genevieve Leroux and her mission to help save the Monarch Butterfly, the Bulletin’s last article about Geneviève is available online at http://bulletinaylmer.shoutcms.net/aylmer-s-butterfly-girl-on-a-mission-for-monarchs?id=794