Become a COACH for "Steelhead in the Classroom"
School is back in session and Redwood Empire Trout Unlimited is busy planning for our Spring Steelhead in the Classroom program. You can help RETU bring watershed education to local schools by volunteering to be a coach and helping out with egg delivery, drop off and classroom activities.
If you are interested in helping as a volunteer coach in Sonoma or Mendocino Counties email us at info@redwoodempire-tu.org
About Steelhead in the Classroom
In partnership with California Fish and Wildlife, we provide local elementary school classrooms with aquariums, lesson plan material, and steelhead eggs. Children are able to watch as steelhead eggs hatch and grow into juvenile fish. They learn basic scientific principles, what is required for fish to thrive, and why watersheds are important.
Are you a teacher interested in raising steelhead in your classroom?
RETU and our partners serve the Russian River area including Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.
Instructors and their students set up an aquarium in the classroom, receive fish eggs from Warm Springs Hatchery under a special CDFW permit, and observe the fish as they hatch and develop. The experience culminates in a field trip to a Russian River tributary where the fish are released. This is a hands-on, interdisciplinary project for grades K-12. Check out these videos below, including from our friends at Golden Gate Trout Unlimited.
New teachers - New teachers must complete training before participating in the program. Sign up here. Please join the waitlist if slots are not avialable, we are able to accomdate most waitlist
Previous teachers - Submit your application for eggs - same as every year! We encourage you to do this as soon as possible but you do have until December 15, 2022. It is best to just get it done! Please remember to have it signed by your principal, convert it to a PDF, and send it to R3CAEP@wildlife.ca.gov. You can check the status of your application about a week after you submit it.
We anticipate the 2023 steelhead eggs being available on the following dates:
February 22, 2023 (final date fry must be released – April 19, 2023)
April 5, 2023 (final date fry must be released – May 31, 2023) Please note this may fall on spring break for some schools.
RETU has been involved with CDFW’s Steelhead in the Classroom Program for nearly 30 years, help us grow this incredible program. Coaches are critical to the success of Steelhead in the Classroom, the more coaches we have, the more classrooms we are able to serve. One coach can often support multiple classrooms.
If you are interested in helping as a volunteer coach in Sonoma or Mendocino Counties email us at info@redwoodempire-tu.org
MENTORING IS FUN, REWARDING AND EASY
Being a coach is a rewarding experience and RETU is there to support you and your classrooms. The time commitment is generally limited to a training session in January, tank set up (if your classrooms need help), egg pickup, and fry release. Egg pickup is in February and fry are released 5-7 weeks later, for much of this time coaches are on call for any problems that may arise.
As a coach you will:
Assist at the teacher training workshop
Provide in-class support to teachers (setting up aquarium, maintaining eggs and fish, troubleshooting problems if they arise)
Pick up eggs from CDFW and deliver to your classroom(s)
Share your experiences and stories with students (you need not be a fisheries biologist!)
Assist class the with release of fry into a local stream
Assist teacher in completing and returning the 772 permit
Assist teacher in adhering to requirements of the 772 permit
Complete and return other required paperwork and forms provided by CDFW
RETU and CDFW are available to assist you every step of the way and training is provided.
If you are interested in helping as a volunteer coach in Sonoma or Mendocino Counties email us at info@redwoodempire-tu.org