![Butterfly_girl_hero](/sites/default/files/2024-02/Community_Butterfly_Condo_hero_500x364.jpg)
For the fourth year in a row, Valero has sponsored the Caterpillar Condo for the Classroom Program in partnership with Blooming with Birdie, an organization that combines the holistic, hands-on approach of Montessori with the social-emotional and entertaining approach of Mister Rogers to provide quality STEM learning experiences for students.
This school year, Valero funding provided over 100 San Antonio-area teachers at Title I schools the opportunity to receive the program's curriculum and supplies at no cost. As they observed the metamorphosis of a live Monarch butterfly, benefitting students developed a special connection to nature, learned the importance of conservation and pollinators to the environment, and became citizen scientists. Since the program's inception, Valero has sponsored 260+ classrooms, touching the lives of hundreds of disadvantaged students.
Educators from classrooms pre-K to fourth grade attended a teacher training where they received caterpillar condos for their classroom, butterfly tagging materials, associated hands-on, nature-based digital curriculum in English and Spanish, and a Valero fuel card thanking each teacher for their participation.
Take a look at how these caterpillar condos inspired students in their community!
![2022 United Way Day of Caring](/sites/default/files/styles/teaser_card_380x275/public/2023-05/0F4A4717Valero_Photo_By_Gary_M_Perkins_2022.jpg?itok=m0lt6RQC)
Volunteerism
![St. Charles Tree Planting](/sites/default/files/styles/teaser_card_380x275/public/2023-05/JRP_VEC_07_1239-Edit.jpg?itok=Ho7jxI5d)
Community Engagement Stories
![Valero Volunteer Planting](/sites/default/files/styles/teaser_card_380x275/public/2021-07/Teaser_380x275-3.jpg?itok=UQ6WV_un)