The Selma Times-Journal

Clark Elementary students on Thursday helped Selma live up to its identity as &8220;The Butterfly Capital of Alabama.&8221;

They released &8220;painted lady&8221; butterflies, grown in their classroom, at Bloch Park.

Students watched the butterflies grow from caterpillars into full-grown butterflies over a period of several days.

First grade teacher Hazel Peace said the annual project is one that teachers and students look forward to.

Peace&8217;s class released 18 butterflies, including butterflies named Christy, Sunshine, Angel, Jake, Star and Renda. Students named the butterflies while they were caterpillars and made them feel closeness to the caterpillars, Peace said. Once the caterpillars emerged from their chrysalides as butterflies, they were fed orange slices until they were released.

Alisha Cleveland, whose first-grade class came to the release, said her butterflies haven&8217;t come out of their chrysalides yet, but the class is hopeful they will come out soon.