Although the summer is not yet over, we are expecting the number of schools participating in Trout in the Classroom in New Jersey to double from 25 to at least 50 for the new school year. Numerous schools are scrambling to locate funding to join our 25 current programs. As of the date of this writing (Aug. 8, 2007), a full 20 additional schools have obtained funding and plan to launch in October with more than 40 additional schools still trying to allocate or locate the nearly $1,000 initial start-up costs for the chiller, tank, filter, air stone, etc. that make up the necessary equipment needed to raise brook trout from eggs. In addition, at least one current TIC school is planning to add an additional tank to reach all of their 7th and 8th grade students enrolled in natural sciences courses. That school will be the 4th school to have multiple TIC set-ups in New Jersey, proof positive of how well received this program is with school administrators, parents, teachers and, of course, with the kids!!!
TU national sees the Trout in the Classroom program as being one of the biggest single programs anywhere to bring cold water conservation to the forefront of young people’s minds and to further grow the ranks of TU in its mission. Nowhere is this mission more important than in the nation’s most densely populated state! With 50 programs in NJ this coming school year, cold water conservation will be taught to well over 8,000 students in all parts of the state.
