Woolwine Elementary School students in grades three, six and seven released 296 brown trout into the Smith River on Tuesday, April 10.
Seventh grade students visited the Wytheville Trout Hatchery in early November 2017 to witness egg collection or spawning of the brown trout and brought back over 300 brown trout eggs to place in the school’s 50-gallon tank. Sixth and seventh grade students monitored water quality of the tank and, once the eggs hatched, third grade students helped sixth and seventh grade students feed and take care of the trout tank.
The Trout in the Classroom Program through the Dan River Basin Association gives students hand on experience with life processes and ecosystems. Krista Hodges and Wayne Kirkpatrick assisted students on release day.
The sixth grade class also conducted water quality testing at the release site in the Smith River after release by collecting, counting and releasing macro-invertebrates. That area of the stream tested as having good water quality, which is a healthy ecosystem for the small trout to thrive.
