By Samantha Turner, Butterfly Technician at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women
I have had a negative impact on many things throughout my life. As much as I hate to bring to light all my defects, I would have to say that I have had more negative than positive influences in the past.
I find myself today actively changing this pattern. I strive to do what is right. Being a part of the Sustainability in Prisons Project’s (SPP) Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly program has given me a huge opportunity to make an impact in a majorly positive way. I’m learning so much in this program and all the while I find my life is comparable to the cycle of these butterflies’ lives.
I’m shedding my old skin to morph into a new person.
Technician Samantha Turner works with a postdiapause larvae bin. Photo by Lindsey Hamilton
Samantha is diligently taking notes in order to track each individual butterfly through its transformation. Photo by Jody Becker-Green.
This program is fighting to keep the Taylor’s checkerspot alive. Along with saving their lives, I am fighting to save mine. So, the SPP program is majorly impacting not only the butterflies’ lives, but my life, and preserving a fighting chance at a future for both of us.
Checkerspot larvae are social insects. They often follow each other around and eat together. Photo by inmate technician
Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women butterfly technicians posed by a garden where they grow food for the caterpillars. Photo by Lindsey Hamilton
Thank you for this program and I look forward to all the possibilities.
4 Comments:
lynne
It is good to hear you are looking at your life in a positive manner however; you are in a controlled enviorment. The real test will be in the community to see if the Butterfly can fly. I would hope DOC has offered enough programs to help you suceed in the community and the Butterfly project is not a waste of taxpayers money.
Carolina Landa
I am so happy to see you doing the program it really does change your life! What an amazing article, So good to see your face way to go Samantha love you and I will see you soon out here life is truly amazing!!
Kristina Davis
Good to hear such positive impact. Great program to improve and change lives for those who want to make a difference. Great job Samantha.
Sam Turner
If the world knew you as your father does they would be very proud indeed! These programs are a blessing! This “shine” from these types of programs come from the inside first and because of that shine, the world benefits. God’s works of art comes in many forms, and “we” are blessed. This is a great program, my hope is that it grows and continues to shine new understanding of life that effects all of us. What a sad world it would be without butterflies and new understandings which bring dominoes of benefits and shine into all our lives. ….this is the good stuff.