West Hartford School Going for the World Record for Largest Butterfly Origami

History will be made on Wednesday, March 11 at Webster Hill Elementary School in West Hartford when the world’s largest origami butterfly will be officially measured so it can be entered into the Guinness World Record book.

Under the direction of Webster Hill Elementary School math tutor Madelyn Filomeno and physical education teacher Eileen Shahverdian, students have constructed a 4-meter paper origami butterfly that, when opened, fills half the gym.

The completed butterfly took two years in the making.

Students learned about angles and mathematical equations while having fun constructing the paper butterfly.

To make it official, the butterfly will be measured by a certified land surveyor, authenticated by two origami expert, witnessed by an unrelated party and videotaped and photographed.

Webster Hill School is often referred to as “the butterfly school” because of its beautiful butterfly house and living courtyard. Staff, students and parents hunt for eggs in the milkweed plants that grow around the school.

“We watch and nurture the process from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis, to butterfly,” Webster Hill School Principal Jeff Wallowitz said in a press release. “We then tag our butterflies and at a whole school ceremony, we release the monarchs and celebrate their migration to Mexico.”

Image via websterhill.whps.org