Being women of service is something we encourage at Incarnate Word Academy, and the members of our origami club exemplify that value through a project they've just completed.

The group made 632 butterfly bookmarks, which they gave to the Family Literacy Network, a Houston-based nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching reading and building literacy skills. The bookmarks are fashioned so they can be placed at the corner of a page to mark a reader's place.

In Japan, the butterfly is a symbol of encouragement and transformation. The origami club felt this was the perfect design for their bookmarks. In a letter to the Family Literacy Network, the students noted that reading can be challenging for some, and they wanted to encourage readers to keep going, to "keep striving for the beautiful world of imagination and knowledge each book can provide." Much like the caterpillar making its transformation to a butterfly, reading can transform lives. 

"Last year’s origami projects focused on IWA, and this year the club wanted to expand its giving to the Houston community," said Evalyn Navarro '22, the club's founder. 

The 2020 project was an art installation that showcased the crane as a symbol of healing.

The students also included photos of their work along with the letter and bookmarks they sent to the organization.