Gone fishin’: Trinity students head to Mingo for nature lessons
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Trinity fifth-graders were thrilled (mostly!) to hold the fish caught during the electrofishing demonstration at Mingo Creek County Park Thursday. Lydia Zemba shows her mom and field trip chaperone one of the fish.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Sanya Chandler fly fishes like a pro Thursday morning at the fly casting station, part of Trinity Area School District’s annual trout release day program. While a natural fly fisherwoman, Chandler said her favorite station was the electrofishing one.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Steven Brink, left, and Jesse Frameli examine bugs caught at Mingo Creek County Park Thursday morning. Frameli was excited to catch a spider at the trout release day’s leaf litter critter station.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Trinity North and West fifth-graders crane their necks and cheer as science teacher Brad Zurisko releases the trout students have raised since they were eggs. Trinity’s fifth-graders have celebrated trout in the classroom release day, which includes a variety of activities, at Mingo Creek County Park for about 15 years.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Bryleigh Mazzie, right, stops to double check the geocaching device while her teammates and friends Olivia Miller, McKenzie Becker and Selyna Martin continue along the path. The four Trinity West girls were enthusiastic about the scavenger hunt.
Trinity North and West elementary fifth-graders hung a metaphorical “Gone fishin'” sign on the doors Thursday and spent the day releasing trout, geocaching, electrofishing and learning at Mingo Creek County Park.
“Nature’s a great classroom,” said Pete Keruskin, lead principal and director of special projects, Trinity South Elementary School.
Students gathered around the water, eager to watch science teacher Brad Zurisko release trout raised from eggs by students into Mingo Creek. Then, classrooms broke into stations, which included lessons in macroinvertebrates, presented by the Washington County Conservation District, and leaf litter critters, presented by Washington County Parks and Recreation.
“I got a spider,” announced Jesse Frameli, a student in Matt Cowden’s class, as he sucked the critter into a clear tube with an aspirator and showed his friend, Steven Brink. “I knew this was going to be a good spot.”
At Geocaching 101, taught by the Allegheny Land Trust, students darted, devices in hand, through an open field near the creek, racing to be the first team to discover all five geocaches. Students also tried their hands at fly casting – a simple flick of the wrist, taught by Chestnut Ridge Trout Unlimited’s Dennis Croft – and fly tying with the middle school’s Fly Tying Club.
“The kids really love this,” said Zurisko. “What’s great about it is not only do they get to see the fish that they raised be released, they learn about the creek ecosystem. I’s a good learning experience for the kids. It’s my favorite field trip that we do in the fifth grade.”
Every station seemed to be a fan favorite, and students were thrilled when, during the electrofishing lesson by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, they were allowed to hold the fish.
“I kissed it,” yelled Owen Clancy, to the delight of some and chagrin of other classmates.
Students enjoyed a bagged lunch in the park before returning to school. Trinity South and East will take the field trip to Mingo Friday.
The nature classroom has been held annually for about 15 years, Keruskin said. Middle and high school students now participate in the yearly outdoor learning experience.
“It’s my favorite field trip,” fifth-grade teacher Cortni Junko said, echoing many teachers’ sentiments.