TUPELO – The real-life love story of two pigeons has been educational for seventh-graders at Tupelo Middle School.

Meet Ladasha, one of four homing pigeons that seventh-grade pre-AP science teacher Holly Bailey had brought into her classroom this year. By early October, the other pigeons had left and Ladasha was alone.

Enter Mic, a homing pigeon from Festus, Mo., who got lost in a storm while flying to Searcy, Ark., and found his way to Ladasha.

Since then, the pigeons have become cuddly with each other, Bailey’s students said.

“I like seeing them in love,” said Katelyn Dixon. “Now when we let Ladasha out of the cage, she doesn’t go as far away.”

What began when Bailey’s parents asked her if she wanted to take some pigeons that were on their property has turned into a big experiment in her classroom.

Bailey intended to use the pigeons for students to observe as the birds flew out of their cage and then returned later in the day.

The drama increased when a new pigeon made a surprise arrival. Bailey checked the bird’s tag and contacted its owner, Jeff Crannick, who told Bailey her class could keep Mic.

Bailey said having homing pigeons in her classroom has been a huge hit and is something she would like to continue in the future. She said seeing the pigeons makes her students excited. Sometimes when the birds are loose and flying around, the students will run to the window to report what the pigeons are doing.

“It is always fun to have live animals,” Bailey said.

Seventh-grader Haley Cook even suggested that the school seek grant money to get more pigeons and a nicer loft where the bids can stay.

For now, the students observe the drama of Ladasha and her new acquaintance who flew hundreds of miles to meet her.

“Mic really caught Ladasha’s eye,” Cook said.

Contact Chris Kieffer at (662) 678-1590 or at chris.kieffer@djournal.com.