Fish in the schools in Sitka

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Salty
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Fish in the schools in Sitka

Post by Salty »

I participated in a lunch program on Wednesday where a group of us fishermen went to the school lunch rooms and ate with the students and I ran a slide show on fish, fishing boats, and fishing action for them while they ate fish.
Then on Thursday we walked with different classes on the dock explaining the different types of boats and fisheries. It was about 35 degrees, blowing about 20, and raining sheets.
I bring it up here because it is just another example of people working together to understand and promote our fisheries. It was also interesting how little a lot of the kids here in Sitka knew about the fisheries, the different kinds of boats, the different gear, and different fish. Kind of re-inforces the comments on the forum about how little most consumers really understand about our fish, our fisheries.
Also a little sobering in that I was explaining that I coached boys basketball at Blatchley for 7 years. One boy asked me when that was and I said that was from 90-97. He said, "Oh, that was before I was born." Time flies, enjoy every day.
In a bit of good news a king salmon I donated to the Island Institute was auctioned off for $175.00 tonite. Maybe the markets are heating up.
Pacific R
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Re: Fish in the schools in Sitka

Post by Pacific R »

Salty,

As you may know, I spend the off season as a middle school science teacher here in WA. For nearly 20 years I have participated in the Salmon in The Classroom program where we hatch and raise salmon, well.... in the classroom, as well teaching an entire unit on salmon. We also visit natural spawning areas, irrigation impoundments and hatcheries. The big payoff for me is seeing the "light" go on when kids realize that the creek flowing through their farm or town is the birthplace for salmon that may end up as dinner for an orca in Alaska or in the seafood case at Fred Meyer. When they realize that many organic compounds found in the fertile soil in our valley can be traced back to the sea and were brought here by thousands and thosands of years worth of salmon runs, it really makes them think. Then they find out that many fishing boats in Alaska run the same brand of engine as the one in their dad's tractor or harrowbed and that fishing families a thousand miles away also depend on the bounty of the Earth just as their families do.

My ultimate hope is that one day when THEY take over the family farm or vote for the next county commissioner they will think about how their actions effect everything downstream and how connected we all really are. I'd like to encourage more fishermen to help teachers bring salmon into the classroom. Most teachers that do this program across the state would love to have an Alaska fisherman visit their class as part of their salmon unit.

And by the way Salty, after watching a certain video my 6th graders want to know just what does "HOLY TOLEDO" really mean!
Akdreamlures
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Re: Fish in the schools in Sitka

Post by Akdreamlures »

Pacific R,
Great post, and thank you for your service teaching middle school. What an exciting age. I loved coaching that age group.

I don't know why or when "Holy Toledo" came into my vocabulary. It might have been the summer the boys were about 10 and 8 and they and their mother were fining me a dollar for every inappropriate word or exclamation that came out of my mouth when we were fishing together. I think "Holy Toledo" was deemed not fine-able. And, as a longtime radio broadcaster at sporting events, and doing live interviews for a public radio show I was trained in the 7 forbidden words. "Holy Toledo" does not include any of those words.

What video was that? Just did a promo for the Women in the Fisheries Sitka Maritime Heritage Society Annual Meeting panel where I said "Holy Toledo", but that was on radio.
Salty
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Re: Fish in the schools in Sitka

Post by Salty »

Previous post should have been as Salty. Sorry Jon.

Eric
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