Nebraska Game & Parks Program brings new class pet for students to learn from

NORFOLK, Neb. — Nebraska students are swapping the classic classroom pet for a unconventional one… trout.

Aquatic Ecology Education Specialist Grace Gaard says the Nebraska Games & Parks Trout in the Classroom Program is apart of a nationwide initiative designed to help students understand fish species and how water quality affects their development. 

“That’s always fun to see them react because, you know you like fishing but you don’t always connect that you need really good insects in the water if your fish are going to get big and fun to catch,” said Gaard.

Teachers from any grade that are interested in the program can apply this June. Once approved, Gaard says classrooms are responsible for purchasing the equipment necessary to raise the trout.

While each classroom receives 200 trout eggs, Gaard noted that not all of them are guaranteed to survive until release. She explained that this natural loss is actually part of the learning experience.

“ But I think that a cool part about this is that it’s applicable to all ages even if their doing it two grades in a row. I think its still something that they can learn from every time because every year is different. Sometimes the trout does well and maybe they’re not doing well, and it’s a whole process,” said Gaard. 

Nebraska Game and Parks launched the initiative in 2014. Now, 12 years later, the program is seeing record engagement with 111 participating classrooms across the state. Gaard says classrooms have received all of their eggs and are getting ready to release them in late April.