Trout In The Classroom

Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is a unique educational experience that generates enthusiasm among students and helps them develop caring attitudes about fish and their habitat. Through TIC, hundreds of students in Middlesex and Monmouth Counties have raised and released thousands of young trout into the wild.
Trout in the Classroom brochure 2019-2020.

Year Thirteen 2018-2019
For the 2018-2019 school year Freehold SCD provided equipment (valued at $1,000 each) to 21 schools and one environmental center to raise Rainbow Trout, from eggs to fry, for the Trout in the Classroom program. Eggs will be provided by the Pequest Trout Hatchery under the direction of Jessica Griglak, TIC Statewide Coordinator. Trout Unlimited volunteers deliver the eggs and offer technical experience to each location as part of the TIC program. Holly Reynolds, of the Freehold SCD staff, provided tank and trout care assistance to all our tanks as needed.

The following are 2018-2019 participants for TIC:

Students raise the trout from eggs, witnessing their development and participating in their growth by feeding, monitoring the tank temperature and balancing chemical levels. Students participate in a variety of educational activities from October to May which may involve science, math, language arts, social studies and art. Once the trout are old enough they are released into local, approved rivers to live in their natural habitat.

A tank is also housed at the Freehold SCD office to educate builders and developers about the impact construction can have on water quality. Holly Reynold is our staff TIC Coordinator.

Go to: www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/tic.htm or www.njtroutintheclassroom.org/ to link to more TIC statewide information and resources.

Trout in the Classroom Field Day
In late May over 200 students and teachers convene at the Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson to participate in the annual Trout in the Classroom Field Day. Several Monmouth, Middlesex and Ocean County schools that raised native brook trout from eggs release their fingerlings into the Toms River. Students had been feeding, monitoring water temperatures, testing pH and chemical levels since the eggs were delivered to their schools in October. The 3-4 inch long trout were released into the wild and then students participated in soil, water, forestry, trout and wildlife activities.

Trout in the Classroom Field Day is jointly sponsored by Freehold and Ocean County Soil Conservation Districts, NJ Division of Parks and Forestry, Trout Unlimited, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, NJ Forest Resource Education Center, NJ Watershed Ambassadors and Dry-fly Classics.

TIC Field Day Participants released their trout and learned about soils, wildlife, forestry, watersheds and more. Photos by Paul Califano

Thousands of brook trout have already been released as part of the Trout in the Classroom (TIC) Program sponsored by Freehold Soil Conservation District. Hundreds of students engaged in hands-on stewardship activities and gained greater insight of real-life water quality and wildlife issues.