Our most important mission at Paul Young Trout Unlimited is “Casting it Forward” so that future generations understand what it means to become stewards of our natural resources. Currently Paul H. Young TU sponsors 7 Salmon in the classroom programs and we are looking to greatly increase that number this year. If you are interested in becoming a host classroom or school, please read below and reach out to us so we can assist you with the process.
If you are looking to become a Salmon in the classroom school, please send an email to: ELKINSN@michigan.gov. Acceptance will be finalized after you’ve attended the mandatory November training workshop closest to you, from 9am – 3:30pm. One workshop will be held at the Wolf Lake Hatchery and Visitor Center in Mattawan, the second at the Platte Hatchery in northern Michigan and a third at the upper peninsula’s Marquette Hatchery.
Please include in the email answers to the following:
- Yes or no - I plan/do not plan to join the program
- Your name
- Your school
- The name/organization/email of any sponsor—and whether you’d like to bring them with you.
- If two of you applied to share a tank—which will be the primary caretaker, i.e. permit holder, and who is the secondary or co-permittee
- Which one of the following workshops you will attend: ( I will send a confirmation, agenda and supply list in October)
- Wolf Lake
- Platte River
- Marquette
The next step is for you to apply online for your Scientific Collector’s Permit here: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10369_50075-191964–,00.html . Follow the directions closely (print them if you can), it will make it easier to fill out the form. Your permit will be hand delivered to you at the completion of your workshop, because you will need your permit in hand to take eyed salmon eggs home from the workshop. If you are sharing a tank, only the lead teacher should apply for the permit, but all should come to the workshop. Those teachers actually housing the tank will be the permit holder, those just accessing the tank for use will be listed as co-permittees. This means if the permit holder drops from the program, co-permittees can take over (as long as they’ve attended the workshop).
I am so glad to see so many qualified people excited about the experience of studying the salmon life cycle—and all of its ties to life science, aquatic invasive species management, water quality, sport fishing traditions and Michigan’s economy. The program also gives a school year long opportunity to help students and their families understand that Michigan’s public natural resources and lands are managed by the DNR, to keep them healthy now and in the future, for the true owners, you!
Please forward this email to your sponsor, sponsors love to get the same communications that the teachers receive.
We often have to share time sensitive information about your eggs, fry, parr and smolts—so please update me with any email changes. You will receive 3 Salmon Sense newsletters a year to the email address I am using here-full of tips for raising healthy salmon, and ideas for how to incorporate them into your curriculum—in September/December/April, as will your principals and sponsors. It will come from Michigan DNR – check your spam folder in mid-September if you don’t receive it.
Have your tank and chiller up and running at least 2 weeks before you attend the workshop where you will receive your eggs, make sure the temperature is very close to 52 degrees Fahrenheit—colder is better than warmer.
Please visit www.michigan.gov/sic if you’d like a refresher on the course program. Feel free to contact me with any questions concerning your admittance, and congratulations!
Natalie J. Elkins
K-12 Education Specialist
Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources
525 W. Allegan
Lansing, MI 48933
P: 517.284.6041
F: 517.373.1547
Email: elkinsn@michigan.gov