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During an early fall week at Entiat National Fish Hatchery, more than 200 high school students swapped their laptops and school attire for data sheets and waders, ready to immerse themselves in the dynamic Entiat River. They're the newest cohort to join the thousands of former students who gained field experience through the Kids in the Creek program.“This is the only time my students have any field experience with nature and natural experienced professionals,” shares Joyce Block, a teacher at Wenatchee High School. "For the first time ever, they get a real field biologist experience."
It all started when a small group of committed volunteers on the Board of Supervisors for the Chelan County Conservation District were concerned about how rapid development in the area would impact water quality. After acquiring funding, a committee of resource specialists and teachers formed a hands-on field experience for local high schools, and Kids in the Creek was born. Since then, thousands of students from near and distant watersheds and many more resource agencies and private companies have joined this high-quality educational effort. Throughout the years, the program has developed and evolved into what it is today. The goal is still the same: To connect students with aquatic and riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian ecosystems for an understanding of watersheds and the critical role of human land management activities.
For over 30 years, Kids in the Creek has been connecting students with their local watershed and natural resource professionals. Students learn about field techniques and tools from the folks who use them every day for their jobs, giving exceptional insight into future natural resource careers.
“It such an amazing opportunity for these students to get out of the classroom and into nature experiencing natural resources stewardship methods and tools used by real professionals. Students have a great opportunity to meet resources specialists from all different backgrounds and organizations/agencies,” shares Amanda Newell, education & outreach specialist at Cascadia Conservation District. “There’s so much value added when such a diverse group of folks is willing to take the time out of their busy schedules and workloads to prioritize youth education.”
Activities include measuring river flow, surveying vegetation for restoration, collecting and identifying macroinvertebrates, and learning about fish health through dissections. This year, over 240 students from 9 local high schools joined for this place-based, career-connected learning experience. Thanks to USFWS Fish Funds, we were able to purchase waterproof paper and new waders to prevent soggy data sheets (and soggy students!).
A huge thank-you to the many partners and volunteers who supported this year’s program, including Cascade Fisheries, Cascadia Conservation District, Chelan County Natural Resources Department, City of Wenatchee, Douglas County PUD, Okanogan Conservation District, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, and Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. A special thank-you to the staff at Entiat National Fish Hatchery for being a fantastic host site. Together, we are fostering the next generation of natural resource stewards!
