TROUT IN THE CLASSROOM
Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is an environmental program which teaches young students about trout and the environment in which they live through the process of raising trout from eggs in aquarium in their schools. TIC was started by the late Joan Stoliar and the Theodore Gordon Flyfishers (TGF) of New York City. The Croton Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited (CWCTU) has been involved with and supported the program for local schools for many years. In addition, CWCTU volunteers assist local schools as well as schools from New York City in the release of fingerlings in the streams of the Croton watershed in the spring.
HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?
Eggs are sent to schools by the New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) in the fall along with trout food. The students watch them hatch into fish and care for them until spring, when the students release the fish into local streams. Students learn first hand about fish development, various areas of science and the environment, responsibility, as well as gaining a respect for living things. The highlight of the school year is when the students release their trout into a local stream.
The equipment for a TIC program costs about $1800. This is cost is prohibitive for many schools so CWCTU funds teachers & schools with the equipment they need to get started, and also helps with various on-going supplies. At present, CWCTU sponsors twenty schools in Westchester and Putnam counties.
HELPING NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS
Since there is no suitable location in New York City, CWCTU aids New York City Schools with the release of their trout into Cross River in the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Our Volunteers help the students release their trout and show them the macro-invertebrates ("bugs") the trout eat. Last year over 2000 New York City schoolchildren from over 40 schools released their trout in our watershed.
SCHOOLS SUPPORTED BY CWCTU
Brewster High School, Rob Leonard Carmel High School, Anthony Macchiarola
Copper Beach Middle School (Lakeland), Christina Conors Eastchester Middle School, Adam Chertok Fox Lane Middle School, Christine Ledrich
Fulmar Road Elementary School (Mahopac), Tom Jordan
Harvey School, Melissa Zeffer
HH Wells Middle School (Southeast) Kirsten Rusinko Irvington School District, Karen Bodnar John Jay High School (Katonah), Matt Funnel
Kent Elementary School (Carmel), Rachel Berry
Lakeland School District, Mike Macchi
Lois Bonz Children’s Center (White Plains), Dr. Marcia Lawrence Mahopac High School, Scott Rizzo
Pelham Middle School, Kevin Clune
Robert E. Bell Middle School (Chappaqua), Sarah Geronim
Saunders High School (Yonkers), Harry Hall
Somers High School, Brian Hugick
West Lake Middle School, Tom Hall
Briarcliff Middle School, Jessica Loprieno
John Jay Middle School, Christina Connors
Mount Vernon High School, Robin Carpus
St James Apostle School in Carmel, Maura Crawford
Trinity Elementary School, Terri Agravat
West Lake High School, Jaclyn Hoahing