FAHS Science Classroom Raises Trout

Chemistry teacher Ms. Jennifer Neiman is raising trout in her classroom through the Trout in the Classroom program, which is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. The trout are raised from eggs over the next few weeks and will be released in the spring.

Through this program, trout eggs, food, and equipment are provided at no cost to the school. This year, Pennsylvania Trout Unlimited and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission purchased the eggs from Troutlodge. The food, which helps them grow and develop, is from BioOregon at a discounted price.

The trout will be released sometime in May of this school year. According to Ms. Neiman, the trout generally need to reach a length of two to three inches, not including the tail fin. The release is based on size and the time of year since they need to be released before the end of the school year.

This year, the program provided Fleetwood with 164 eggs. Of this amount, only 30 have been lost, as of March twenty-third. In previous years, the school has received over 300 eggs and released close to 250 trout. The amount of eggs supplied to schools varies from year to year. The trout species is rainbow trout, which have fewer disease issues and perform better in artificial conditions than the native Brook trout.

The fish are released into Willow Creek at a designated location, and students get to be involved in the release process. According to Neiman, trout are a good classroom tool for teaching environmental science. Students help maintain the tank, monitor water quality, and feed the fish.

“The program helps to connect concepts learned in environmental science, such as water quality, watershed management, land management, agricultural runoff, and other environmental issues, to real situations involving the trout we raise and their natural environment.  They also provide some relaxation and stress relief for many students,” Neiman said.