Origami Project Teaches Port Jeff Students About Extinction

To mark the centennial anniversary of the passenger pigeon’s extinction, Stacy Schuman’s art class at the Port Jefferson Middle School made more than 500 origami birds that symbolically represent the great flock from 100 years ago.

The pigeon project was organized by Schuman in collaboration with the Lost Bird Project, which aims to assemble a virtual flock of the 1 million passenger pigeons that once accounted for up to 40 percent of all land birds in North America.

The students’ origami pigeons were all named Martha, in memory of the last known captive passenger pigeon who died in 1914.

“I wanted to both raise student awareness of the environment and also introduce the origami art form,” said Schuman.

Photo courtesy of the Port Jefferson School District