These Oregon students are bringing eggs to fry, and it's not what it sounds like
Most Oregon schools are calling it a year this week and will head off on summer break! Here’s a unique story with an outdoor lesson that lasts for years. The project is called “Eggs to Fry in ’25,” as thousands of Oregon school children lend a hand to raise rainbow trout in the classroom.
As the school year winds down, youngsters have a chance to do something artsy and something fishy with Sue Harsin as their guide! She’s the art teacher in a “wrap-up art project” that finds students using colorful oil pastels to create rainbow trout that youngsters can take home for summer.
“It just brings out their creativity," Harsin said. "Some kids may not excel in math or reading or whatever, but with art, most of the time all will excel — because there are no mistakes in art.”
And there's no mistaking that this yearlong project, “Eggs to Fry in ’25,” has taught the kids so much about fish! It began in February when a group of volunteers with Association of Northwest Steelheaders picked up trout eggs from nearby Roaring River Hatchery.
“We bring fish eggs into the classroom and the kids learn different lessons about fish as the eggs develop into fry," said Tom Vander Plaat, former statewide director of the NW Steelheaders. "The teachers do a fantastic job of making sure they know how fish live and how it impacts their own lives. I think nature is one of the best things that Oregon has going.”
Leroy Schultz and Steve Amstad delivered 500 trout eggs to the second graders in Mrs. McOmie’s class at Banks Elementary School. The trout eggs became the launching point for lessons in science, math, writing and more.
Schultz retired not long ago but insists there’s no rocking chair for him in retirement after 35 years as a classroom teacher. These days he’s always on the move, down school hallways and into classrooms.
Schultz loves to share the surplus Roaring River Hatchery trout eggs and teach lessons about trout. “I wanted to have a tank in my classroom and so I joined the NW Steelheaders because I heard they were going to start this program called Eggs to Fry and they needed help. I said, ‘That’s for me, because I love to fish and kind of grew up as an outdoorsy kind of guy.'”
More than 60 Washington County schools have Eggs to Fry Projects and more than 300 classrooms participate in the program statewide.
The Steelheaders provide the tank, a pump and a chiller (eggs have to be kept at 50 degrees) and the students will monitor the transition of eggs to fry over 6 weeks until it’s moving day to Scoggins Creek at Hagg Lake.
The experience is a launching point for important “teachable times,” added Schultz. “They’re going to be the keepers of our rivers and lakes, and we want them to know that they are going to carry that responsibility and carry on for us in the future.”
It was a chilly “hands on” day in March when we joined the students for the second time at Henry Hagg Lake. Despite snow fall and freezing temperatures, the youngsters traveled to Scoggins Creek to release the baby fry that had developed in their classroom tank.
Leroy Schultz was there too and instructed the kids: “You want to set your bag in the water so it will acclimate. We want the water to adjust to that creek temperature.”
“We tell the students that for the fish, it’s like getting into a cold shower,” said Schultz. “So, the kids need to acclimate the fry in plastic zip bags for a few minutes before they release them into the creek. It’s all pretty exciting!”
”I think it gives the youngsters an appreciation for where food source comes from — where nature comes from," noted one parent, Dilon Turner. "It’s not just put there, we actually have to take care of it so it continues for generations. It also gives them firsthand experience in biology and seeing how the life cycle goes — pretty neat.”
Back in class during the last week of school, students shared their colorful fish art projects. In fact, former student Lily Rogers, now a high school graduate, joined the young students too. She did this 10 years ago as a second grader in 2015, and it seemed the lessons stuck.
“I remember going down to the river, crouching down and holding the bags,” recalled Rogers. ”I remember making the fish and I still have mine too. I just remember it was super fun!”
It was fun, and provided lasting lessons on the wonder of the Oregon outdoors! The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Department offers programs that many schools can tap into for valuable educational opportunities like Eggs to Fry.
You can connect with the Association of NW Steelheaders for more information on how your classroom or school can get involved in the program.
Be sure to watch the weekly half hour program of Grant’s Getaways. The show airs each Saturday and Sunday on KGW. You can also stream the Grant’s Getaways program anywhere, anytime on the KGW+ TV app.
You can also learn more about many of my favorite Oregon travels and adventures in the Grant’s Getaways book series, including: "Grants Getaways I," Photography by Steve Terrill
- "Grant's Getaways II," Photography by Steve Terrill
- “Grant’s Getaways: 101 Oregon Adventures,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
- “Grant’s Getaways: Guide to Wildlife Watching in Oregon,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
- “Grant’s Getaways: Oregon Adventures with the Kids,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
The book collection offers hundreds of outdoor activities across Oregon and promises to engage a kid of any age.
You can reach me: Gmcomie@kgw.com
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