Wow—time flies when you’re learning about butterflies! It’s hard to believe that the Monarch NECTAR Hub has been around for over a year now, and what a year it’s been. From launching brand-new courses to welcoming learners from all over the country (and beyond), the Hub has truly grown into a vibrant space for monarch enthusiasts of all levels. Let's take a moment to celebrate our milestones, highlight some amazing feedback, and give you a sneak peek of what’s in store for next year.
Our First Year: By the Numbers
In the past year, we’ve created and offered ten courses designed to dive deep into monarch conservation, biology, and habitat creation. Here are some highlights from our growing catalog:
- Mini Monarch Essentials: A bite-sized introduction to monarchs that’s perfect for those just starting their journey into monarch conservation (also available in Spanish!)
- Chrysalis Crew: A fun and interactive course for kids, helping the next generation learn about monarchs in a way that’s engaging and hands-on.
- Monarch Larva Monitoring Project: For those ready to monitor an area of milkweed to find and report monarchs in all stages.
And the response? Incredible! We’ve had over 800 people sign up to take part in these courses, including educators, families, nature enthusiasts, and conservationists. It’s been exciting to see how far-reaching the Monarch NECTAR Hub has become in just its first year.
To keep our programming accessible, we have also been able to give a number of scholarships to participants. Since we launched our first course in August 2023, we have given 27 scholarships, worth a total value of $1,370.
What People Are Saying
One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been hearing from you—our learners! Here are just a few testimonials that remind us why we do this work:
“Very thorough training. I feel ready to monitor and identify different stages of monarch larvae.” -Peggy, CA
“The Complete Monarch Essentials course was a very holistic, informative course on monarchs. I knew almost nothing before taking the course, besides taking the mini-course and now I'll feel more comfortable when people ask me questions in my work (working at a nursery and working with school gardens to install pollinator habitats).” -Nina, CA
“I recommend this course for anyone who cares about monarch butterflies. It covers all the basics you need to know including biology, habitat, prognosis, and actions you can take in an easy to listen to and understand format” -John, MN
These stories—and so many more—are what inspire us to keep moving forward. Seeing people gain knowledge and take action to protect monarchs reinforces the impact of our work.
Looking Ahead: What's Next for the NECTAR Hub?
The future is bright for the Monarch NECTAR Hub! We’re excited to continue growing and expanding our offerings. Here’s a little teaser of what’s coming in 2025:
New Online Courses: We’re developing more courses for you to take on your own time, including a support course for our Monarchs & More curriculum and a Backyard Gardening course.
New Live and Hybrid Courses: We are excited to offer the Live MLMP courses again for every region of the monarch’s breeding ground. We will also offer some hybrid courses where you will learn online AND in person. More info to come!
Continued Q&A Sessions: We host a Q&A Session each month (think college office hours) for our learners to ask questions about their course and the content they are learning about. Join us!
We’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible, and with your continued support, we know the Monarch NECTAR Hub will keep growing as a leading resource for monarch conservation education. Sign up for the MJV newsletter to be notified when new courses launch, or consider donating to the Hub to help us create more courses and even offer scholarships for new learners.
Thank you for being part of this amazing journey with us! Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned monarch expert, there’s always something new to learn, and together we can make a difference.
So, if you haven’t signed up yet, what are you waiting for? Join us at https://learn.monarchjointventure.org and be part of the monarch movement.
See you in the Hub!