The butterfly has been a symbol of transformation, hope and faith for thousands of years. The butterfly is also a symbol of rebirth, since it goes through so many life cycles — from larva to caterpillar to chrysallis and finally to a beautiful, flying butterfly.
Pageantry has been the gift of many blessings and Amy Schlossberg is one of those many blessings. I had had the pleasure of meeting Amy through Prime Pageant and she carries such a light and force of positivity that it is impossible to not believe in yourself once you have been in her presence. Her grit and determination to not only achieve her goals but to show her two young girls they can achieve anything is what has most inspired and blessed me. Meet Amy Schlossberg.
My name is Amy Schlossberg. I am a Reading Teacher, owner of Amy’s Aqua Academy-a mobile swim lesson company, and owner/designer of a handmade jewelry company called Flying Art Garden, which recently unveiled its website at www.flyingartgarden.org. Part of my proceeds from the sale of my handmade jewelry benefit monarch butterfly education and awareness as well as conservation efforts.
I have been teaching for 7 years in the public and charter school systems. Teaching young children has been my passion for a very long time. It is such a rewarding calling that I feel honored to be a part of everyday. I love seeing when children realize their potential and start reaching goals. This happens in the pool as well when I am coaching them during swimming lessons. I have been teaching swimming lessons for over 25 years.
Water safety has always been important to me as the daughter of the Northern Virginia Power Squadron’s Past Commander. I fell in when I was about three years old and was fortunate to have the sense to grab onto the piling of the dock. From a young age, I made it part of my goal in life to ensure that I played a role in teaching water safety and providing quality swim lessons to people of all ages.
I am a firm believer in experiential learning. I even taught myself the lapidary arts at age 16. It started as a therapeutic outlet for an obsessive-compulsive disorder called Trichotillomania which I developed after experiencing childhood trauma. It is better known as a hair-pulling disorder, which is triggered for me by a lack of physical activity for my hands. I could not be idle for long otherwise my hair suffered, so I was left to find something to occupy my hands and
jewelry-making came to mind. Now, 33 years later, my trauma turned into a healing journey and a profitable business. I have been fortunate to work with other designers, such as Ixxia, for which a collaboration is being discussed at present.
Some of my greatest accomplishments came to fruition after persevering through hardship, which makes it all the sweeter. With all the things that life threw my way, I fought my way through and graduated with a master’s degree in education from Nova Southeastern University as the first woman in my family to graduate with a degree higher than high school diploma. I had documented Math Anxiety and it proved to be a speed bump in my university years, but I was determined not to let the opportunity pass me by. As a single 22-year-old, I
saved up the nearly one-thousand dollars it cost to see the psychologist and get diagnosed when I could not pass a class in college. I knew something was wrong and I needed help. I cannot express the feeling I felt when I finally passed that final math course in college that my graduation depended upon.
Another exciting success I recently achieved was the completion of my handmade artisan jewelry website. I had a hand in collaborating with the web designer and was able to choose the layout, color scheme, and design. It was a work in progress, and I am very proud of the collection I have created for my clients. My collection is close to my heart and features butterflies. They represent the journey I am on, and all women find themselves on in life, where
there is the need for change. Butterflies are a symbol of change and metamorphosis for one’s self-betterment.
Butterflies find themselves winding through all sorts of avenues in my life! I am currently in the finishing stages of a self-published children’s educational book titled, ‘Where Winged Wonders Wander,” about the migration journey of the Monarch butterfly and how it relates to being a child. During my undergraduate years as an English major, I had considered writing children’s stories, but never had the courage to put the proverbial pen to paper. I felt my writing had to be perfect, rather than completed in a drafted manner through revisions. Now, as an adult, I see that successes can be found throughout the journey, not just the destination.
Because butterflies have a special place in my heart, I partnered with the Save Our Monarch Foundation as a National Ambassador this year. Ward Johnson, CEO of the foundation entrusted me with hundreds of dollars of milkweed seeds and other pollinator garden seed packs so I can spread monarch conservation awareness and habitat restoration efforts through the local and nationwide community. This year since my ambassadorship started, I have been afforded the
opportunity to work alongside some of Florida’s city officials to engage the community and build butterfly gardens in public spaces. To date, I have created 8 public gardens with a total square footage of over 10,000 feet. I was given a Proclamation in honor of Earth Day this year on April 22nd from the City of Sunrise, Florida’s Mayor Ryan. It was such an honor being given this
acknowledgement of my service efforts for something I am so naturally passionate about.
With that said, my plans include traveling along the migration route to witness firsthand, the Monarch’s journey to the Oyamel Fir Forests of Mexico. Up until this point, I have been reading about their migration. However, I want to experience their travels from the first-person point of view and better understand it. I plan to continue to further my philanthropic work with the Save Our Monarchs Foundation, adding an additional component to the gardens I am currently building.
Working closely with the North American Butterfly Association or NABA, I plan to also certify each garden I create and install in a public place. This will allow a posted “Certified Butterfly Garden” sign and will ensure that the garden is treated as a preserve and will be protected. I hope that my children see me as a positive role model through the community service and philanthropy I am involved in and that they too feel a calling to better the world around them. They are my legacy.
Family is very important to me, and this year has proven to be one of growth. I accepted a new challenge.
I took the Florida Insurance course and now I have been working diligently
towards studying for the state of Florida Insurance Exam. My father-in-law and husband both works together in insurance and have asked me to come onboard, so I am honored. I feel I will be an asset to the family-run business due to my lifelong experience in education and communications, customer-service, and my true passion for helping people.
I leave you with this quote by Albert Camus. “Do not walk in front of me, I may not follow you. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. But walk beside me and we shall call each other friend.”
Reach me at: flyingartgarden@gmail.com