It has been seven weeks since I agreed to write these blogs about the Small Fry to Go (SFtG) project at Temecula Preparatory School (TPS). In this amount of time, I have learned a great deal and shared my observations and thoughts about it. Still, I am amazed at how the taking care of fish can educate students about all manners of subjects, both through the project itself, and also through simply raising awareness.
Unfortunately, these times have come to an end. We have just given our small trout a final sendoff by releasing them into their natural habitat of Lake Perris, a beautiful and quiet place for them to grow-up. Even though the occasion was slightly somber, it was yet another wonderful educational experience.
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The small frys were set free with great attention to care. I set one into the water myself. It was a bit difficult to watch the fish go free, but it was this feeling that united all of us who attended the ceremony. We all knew this was the plan from the beginning, though some of us, perhaps, didn't understand why. We couldn't keep them forever; this was their purpose: to teach us and to help preserve other species. Regardless, we all hoped that the opportunity to do it all over again would soon arise.
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The fish we released were about two inches long, but in six months they will be seven inches, and in a year they will be twenty inches long. To reach their full length, they need protection from anglers, bigger fish, and other dangers. Hoping to give them some advantage, we released them near a spot densely populated by reeds. These plants would allow the fish to survive until they were strong enough to escape these dangers on their own. It was the last thing we could do to help them. We had already tripled their chances of survival by raising them in an aquarium.
SFtG was a great experience for all -- from the day the fish hatched to the day we set them free. The project was also a wonderful milestone for both TPS and SFtG. TPS is the first school to host the SFtG project west of Georgia, increasing the educational impact of the SFtG program, and making TPS a leader in STEM education for the whole community.
We are looking forward with great anticipation to the arrival of our next finned guests!
Alexander Choi, Sophomore
Temecula Preparatory School
