The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

STARBUCK/DIXIE-A unique partnership between two rural school districts was cut short this school year when Governor Inlsee issued his Stay Safe, Stay home proclamation, and schools closed in-person instruction due to COVID-19.

Starbuck School Superintendent Kevin Graffis has worked with Starbuck Elementary School teacher Lynette Palmer-France and Dixie Elementary School teacher Bill Clancy to offer the "Salmon in the Schools" program to their students.

This informative and hands-on program is available to schools through Tri-State Steelheaders (TSS), a non-profit organization whose mission is to restore native fish populations, provide public education and promote recreational angling for future generations. The program is funded in part by Tri-State Steelheaders with additional funds awarded from the Dayton/Columbia County Fund, overseen by the Blue Mountain Community Foundation, in 2018. The Blue Mountain Resource Conservation & Development Council prepared the funding request in late 2017 and serves as funding administrator. Funding has also been supplemented by the Palouse-Snake River Chapter of the Inland Empire State Society of American Foresters in 2019.

"Salmon in the Schools" supports rural school districts to install aquariums, secure fish, purchase pumps and required supplies enabling students to raise native fish (trout and salmon) at school – in the classroom. A curriculum is designed by teachers with assistance from Tri-State Steelheaders. Starbuck School instructs 21 elementary students, Dixie School instructs 14.

Tri-State Steelheaders, education coordinator Andrew Bassler, has been instrumental in securing the necessary equipment (and live smolts), providing instructional materials and expertise to raise native fish in the classroom

Bassler is a rock star to the students when teaching Salmon in the Classroom. He and his AmeriCorps helper visit the schools monthly for an hour-long instructional lesson. One lesson loved by students is painting a freshly caught fish, then pressing a clean piece of paper on the painted fish to create a nature print similar to traditional Japanese Gyotaku fish prints This ancient process was how Japanese fisherman kept records of the size and species of the fish they caught. The class displays their prints in the classroom all year long.

Dixie Elementary School teacher, Clancy, loves the program. "Having the fish in our room is just another way for our students to connect to school," he explained.

In school years before COVID-19, the program would finish with an end-of-year field trip with students, professionals and teachers to release the local native fish into nearby streams and waterways. Although the students were not able to experience the release this year, the smolts were safely released by the Tri-State Steelhead AmeriCorps volunteer Katrina Rachwitz.

The 2020/2021 "Salmon in the Schools" program at Starbuck and Dixie schools has been expanded to include Nez Perce tribal representatives as featured speakers. They are also exploring the possibility of raising Lamprey eels, a critical part of Pacific Northwest Native American Indian diets.

Starbuck and Dixie School Districts appreciate the continued support from community non-profit and professional organizations in helping to enhance the learning and scientific experiences of local, rural elementary school students.

For more information about "Salmon in the Schools" visit http://www.tristatesteelheaders.com/salmon-in-school/