Trout in the Classroom

Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is a unique educational experience that generates enthusiasm among students and helps them develop caring attitudes about fish and their habitat. Through TIC, hundreds of students in Middlesex and Monmouth Counties have raised and released thousands of young trout into the wild.

Students raise the trout from eggs, witnessing their development and participating in their growth by feeding, monitoring the tank temperature and balancing chemical levels. Students participate in a variety of educational activities from October to May which may involve science, math, language arts, social studies and art. Once the trout are old enough they are released into local, approved rivers to live out their lives in their natural habitat.

Year Four

For the '09-'10 school year Freehold SCD provided equipment (valued at $1,000 each) to 13 schools, one community college and one environmental center to raise NJ Brook Trout, from eggs to fry, for the Trout in the Classroom program. Eggs were provided by Pequest Trout Hatchery under the direction of Jessica Griglak, TIC Statewide Coordinator. Trout Unlimited volunteers delivered eggs and offered technical experience to each location as part of the TIC program.

 The following are 2009-2010 participants for TIC:

A tank is also housed at the Freehold SCD office to educate builders and developers about the impact construction can have on water quality. Holly Posna, a Freehold SCD Senior Site Inspector, is our staff TIC Coordinator.

Go to: www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/tic.htm  or www.njtroutintheclassroom.org/ to link to more TIC statewide information and resources.

Trout in the Classroom Field Day 2010
In late May approximately 240 students and teachers convened at the Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson to participate in the third annual Trout in the Classroom Field Day. Seven Monmouth, Middlesex and Ocean County schools that raised native brook trout from eggs released their fingerlings into the Toms River. Students had been feeding, monitoring water temperatures, testing pH and chemical levels since the eggs were delivered to their schools in October. The 3-4 inch long trout were released into the wild and then students participated in soil, water, forestry, trout and wildlife activities.

Trout in the Classroom Field Day was jointly sponsored by Freehold and Ocean County Soil Conservation Districts, NJ Division of Parks and Forestry, Trout Unlimited, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, NJ Forest Resource Education Center, NJ Watershed Ambassadors and Dry-fly Classics.

TIC Field Day Participants released their trout and learned about soils, wildlife, forestry, watersheds and more.  Photos by Paul Califano

Thousands of brook trout have already been released as part of the Trout in the Classroom (TIC) Program sponsored by Freehold Soil Conservation District. Area schools were provided with aquarium equipment (valued at $1,000) by Freehold SCD. Trout eggs were provided through Trout Unlimited and the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for the yearlong Trout in the Classroom project. Hundreds of students engaged in hands-on stewardship activities and gained greater insight of real-life water quality and wildlife issues.

Middletown High School South students feed their trout under the guidance of teacher Kevin Sullivan.

Students in Gayle Martinez's South River Middle School Class test their tank water.

Below:
These New Jersey native brook trout were raised, from eggs to fingerlings, at the Freehold District office as part of an educational program to raise awareness within the building community that development and construction projects can have an impact on trout habitat and water quality. Soil can run off a project site, down storm-drains and directly into nearby brooks, streams or rivers where trout eggs are laid. Increased sediment in streams also leads to higher water temperatures – rising to levels where trout cannot survive.Freehold SCD staff member Holly Posna prepares for the trout release into the Manasquan River in early June

Photos: Paul Califano