‘Trout in the Classroom’ Introduces Students to Outdoors

by Jonathan Weaver

After waiting for hundreds of Brook trout to grow in their school aquarium this school year, West Hills Intermediate students set the trout free yesterday afternoon.

Nearly 60 West Hills Intermediate students released the trout at Pony Farm Trap and Gun Club in North Buffalo Township as part of the district ‘Trout in the Classroom’ curriculum while also learning about stream life through the Armstrong Conservation District.

Local Trout Unlimited Acting President Chad Hough, of Ford City, has been a local member since 1991 and has been an officer for five years.

Hough said there are a total of six schools in Armstrong County that participates. He also attended Divine Redeemer’s release day two weeks ago.

“We try to go out throughout the school year and do different presentations and get kids involved in fishing and outdoor activities,” Hough said. “(Monday), they released the fish that they raised and they are going to learn about stream life and hopefully learn how to cast a fly rod.

Get the kids out of the classroom and away from the video games – that’s my goal.”

Hough fishes about once or twice a week and also with his three sons – Chase, Rexton and Jude. Hough taught them to fish when they were only four years old.

The trout were formerly housed in the classrooms of West Hills Intermediate Sixth-Grade Teachers Jarrod Toy and Karen Zeigler.

A math, spelling and science teacher, Toy said District Teacher – and Trout Unlimited Secretary Dave Zablocki – encouraged him to introduce the program two years ago.

Now, Toy has a 75-gallon aquarium and students go through daily feedings and lessons.

“This was all brand-new to me. I knew a little bit about the fish, but not to this point, Toy said.
“We get (the brook trout) in November as eggs – in a cooler with ice packs and everything – and the kids and I work together counting them all up , track how many are there, we have a hatching basket they hatch in…it’s neat because the kids get to see all the stages. They’ll get to see the tails, the eyes…, Toy said.

“Every day the kids come in, they go back to the tank and check them out. They start naming them and stuff. They enjoy this.”

Toy’s classes started observing nearly 300 eggs and students released about half that amount into the stream.

Students were not graded on the process, but also were taught lessons about cold water conservation and the importance of stream quality.

Zeigler also used to fish with her late-father, Arthur Mechling.

Conservation District Resource Conservationist Julie Zeyzus said students identified macroinvertebrates up close and got to wade into the water.

“The density and diversity of macroinvertebrates can determine stream quality. The higher the diversity, the higher the quality,” Zeyzus said. “And, fish love to eat them as larvae. A healthy stream should have a diversity of fish as well.

Conservation District AmeriCorp members Katie Good and Larissa Rice said conservationists particularly look for stone flies, mayflies and caddisflies. Those flies are also less-tolerant of pollution.

Students also indentified the four different parts of a stream

Armstrong Junior High Principal Kirk Lorigan also introduced himself to sixth graders before they came to his school this Fall.

“It’s nice to do some activities with these kids before they actually come up to the school with us and it’s a nice opportunity for me to get to know those kids, interact and the elementary teachers,” Lorigan said.

He said students can look forward to further activities at Armstrong Junior High with Science Teacher Christine Orlosky and Zablocki.

“If we catch one or two kids who end up really having a passion for this, then this was well-worth all the time and effort that was put into it,” Lorigan said.

Zablocki said local companies – including Snyder Associated, ESS Insurance and Rosebud Mining – contributed a total of $2,500 for 25 fly rods for Monday’s activities.

Snyder Associated Companies’ Vice-President Dennis Snyder said the organization likes to be active in the community.

ESS Insurance Owner Chip Echnoz has also been a fisherman since birth. While he is newly-acquainted with the local program, he also found it worthwhile.

Classes did not have fly rods during last year’s release.

Director Rich Cousins, of North Buffalo, said Divine Redeemer students from Ford City and Grace Christian students from West Kittanning also took part in a Trout Unlimited program at the Pony Farm Trap and Gun Club earlier this month.

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