Woolwine Elementary students in grades pre-kindergarten, 6 and 7 released 194 brown trout into the Smith River on Wednesday, March 29.

Seventh grade students visited the Wytheville Trout Hatchery in the fall and received brown trout eggs that were placed in the school trout tank. Pre-K, sixth and seventh grade students were responsible for feeding the young trout once they hatched and caring for the water quality of the tank up until the release date.

Students enjoyed watching the trout hatch and grow to fingerling size at release time.  After releasing the trout, sixth grade students conducted water quality testing of the Smith River by collecting macro-invertebrates and classifying them.

Seventh grade students conducted water quality testing in the fall and both collections received an excellent score for the Jack’s Creek section of the Smith River.

Wayne Kirkpatrick and Krista Hodges of the Dan River Basin Association assisted students with the trout release and water quality testing.