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Wednesday, 26 September 2007 |
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 Staff photo/Kay Louth
Seventh grader Christopher Swanson displays one of the two fish he caught early on in the Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs event Tuesday. By KAY LOUTH
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — Equipped with fishing poles and wax worms, St. Marys City Schools’ seventh graders descended on Easy Campfire’s lake Tuesday for a bit of fishing as a part of the school’s annual participation in the “Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs” program.
The school has been participating in program for eight years and Middle School Principal Newt Tripplet said the program gives value to students beyond the idea of keeping kids away from drugs and alcohol.
“I also think it’s a kind of activity that encourages kids to get off the couch,” Tripplet said. “They’re out with friends, having fun. It’s a lifetime hobby.”
One of those people in at the beginning of the program is St. Marys’ resident Ron Hunter. He brought his granddaughter Jessica Rush the first year and other grandchildren to the event since its inception.
“I feel it’s a very good thing to show the kids you care,” Hunter said. “There’s more to life than drugs. Hopefully one of these years, I’ll see one of these kids on TV on a fishing show.”
Hunter said he believes so firmly in the positive message of fishing program he donates $100 annually to the program. Hunter, a lifelong fisherman, also helps out by baiting the children’s hooks and untangling lines.
Guidance Counselor Mary Schumm organized Tuesday’s event. Several years ago she attended a training program put on by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the fishing program and thanks to a grant by the ODNR, purchased a mix of 100 rod and reel and cane poles for the program.
Schumm and seventh grade health teacher Barb Hamberg agreed another positive effect of the program is the community involvement it generates. Besides Hunter, other grandparents and parents participate as well as in getting things put together for the event. Then there’s organizational involvement such as the Outdoorsman, a store near the marina that furnishes bait at a discount.
This year, one more business is involved. Vanderhorst Wholesale supplies wax worms to bait dealers, pet stores, universities, and research centers. The worm farm was one of three stops Tuesday for the seventh graders.
The students toured the business and were able to get up close and personal with wax worms. Some of the students like Jonathan Owens held the little worms in their hands and others took a closer look at the worms in their little plastic containers.
Owens was already a fisherman before Tuesday’s field trip.
“I love to fish,” he said, “I’ve got all my bait and tackle.”
Hamberg uses the event to teach the students about safety issues, particularly about water and hooks,
“The kids have a tendency to overlook these,” Hamberg said.
She recalled the drowning deaths of two Mercer County teens a few years ago in Grand Lake St. Marys.
Due to the tragedy, she added boating safety to her repertoire and will be having the ODNR come in next week to the school to present a program on boating safety to the kids.
Seventh graders Codie Deaton and Christopher Swanson are also fishermen and seemed to be enjoying the morning at the lake at Easy Campground.
“I like to fish,” Deaton said, “It’s a chance to get out of class and do something I like to do.”
Swanson said he goes fishing with his grandfather when he visits him in Georgia.
Just a minutes after casting his line into the water, Swanson caught two fish and expects to catch more as the event continued.
The students also visited the ODNR St. Marys Fish Hatchery where coordinator Jay Williams introduced the students to the process of raising fish.
One of the groups that visited the hatchery before heading out for some fishing was Renee Caywood’s homeroom class.
The special needs class toured the hatchery learning about the various fish the hatchery raises and distributes.
“My students respond wonderfully to it,” Caywood said. “We certainly have students who love to fish and I always have one who says ‘I want to do this.’”
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Last Updated ( Monday, 01 October 2007 )
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