Students Cause A Buzz -- Campaign To Get Dragonfly Named Official State Insect Impresses Lawmakers, Teachers

OLYMPIA - Their mission: Pick an official bug for Washington state.

Their strategy: integrated-curriculum education.

Students from Kent's Crestwood Elementary have been wowing legislators and educators alike as they lobby for a law to designate the common green darner dragonfly as the state's official insect.

The dragonfly is not the stuff of campaign slogans or inspiring speeches. In a state that already has an official dance (square) and an official gem (petrified wood), do we really need a state insect?

And yet in politics, where preparation, polish and persuasion can often overcome the biggest of obstacles, the green darner and its grade-school benefactors have better-than-even prospects.

Legislation naming the dragonfly the state insect has passed one important committee and now awaits a vote in the House of Representatives.

The students' efforts started in September, when the school's environmental club learned that Washington is one of only 15 states without an official insect. Club adviser Wendy Shol invited Washington State University entomologist Richard Zach to the school to explain the ecological role of insects.

Their interest sparked, the club's 125 members asked the school's fourth-graders to research eight insects they identified as particularly beneficial to Washington and to present their findings to the students for a vote.

After narrowing the field to the green lacewing, the ladybug and the dragonfly, the 580 students decided to take the vote to students statewide.

Soon, every grade level and curriculum area at Crestwood was involved in the campaign. Students drafted letters explaining each insect's qualifications and sent information packets to 500 K-12 public and private schools, soliciting votes.

The students used every major subject area to study and promote the cause of an official bug, a strategy that is a hallmark of "integrated curriculum" education. Crestwood fifth-graders studying government and civics researched the bill-drafting process, while fourth-graders mapped participating towns. Sixth-graders tabulated e-mail responses and made spreadsheets categorizing voting patterns throughout the state.

After 25,000 votes, the dragonfly took the lead. The school rallied behind the bug, mentioning it on the school's World Wide Web page and developing a campaign poster with the Legislature's hotline number to encourage support for the bill.

"I was a little reluctant to sponsor this bill at first. It seemed a little silly," said Rep. Les Thomas, R-Kent. "But when I saw how much work the kids had put into it, I thought it was important to recognize the bill's educational value."

Official symbols are generally used in books and tourism material to embody the characteristics or history of a state. There are no costs beyond the printing of information pamphlets by the secretary of state.

In the end, Thomas did sponsor the measure, House Bill 1320, which came before the House Government Administration Committee for a hearing last week along with HB1088, a proposal by Windsor Elementary students in Cheney to make the woolly mammoth the state fossil.

Crestwood Elementary was there with an impressive case.

Sixth-grader David Keniston told the committee that insect species outnumber plants and animals combined and are responsible for fertilizing soil, aerating root systems and pollinating plants. If insects disappeared from the Earth, David said, so would many birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and freshwater fish.

Another student, Michelle Austin, explained that the dragonfly, the largest and one of the most common insects in Washington, eats other insects that spread disease. She pointed out that its color coincides with the "Evergreen State" nickname, and its wings resemble the movement of a helicopter, a salute to Boeing's role in the aerospace industry.

David and Michelle had maps, pictures, graphs and 40 other students to back them up.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson applauded the students' efforts.

"This showed legislators a beautiful example of what we're trying to do with education reform," she said. "The kids used all four of the learning goals - reading, writing, communication and math - to get others involved and make something happen."

The Government Administration Committee approved both the insect and fossil proposals, sending them to the House, where they await action.

While the Crestwood students watch to see how their bill progresses, the maps, graphs and campaign posters pepper the school's walls. Pictures from last week's hearing are proudly displayed, while model dragonflies perch atop computer terminals.

"I hope Gov. (Gary) Locke comes here to sign the bill if it gets that far," David said.

"When you learn a little here and there about different subjects, it's easy to forget how what you are learning is important," Michelle said. "Going to Olympia, I saw that if enough people want something done, they can do it."