Harvey Elementary fourth-grade students are wading into a greater appreciation for the world around them, thanks to the Salmon in the Classroom project.
The students recently released nearly 100 salmon into the Clinton River that they had raised from eggs in their classroom.
"I hope the students gain not only a greater appreciation for science, but also are able to make a real connection to their role in caring for their world," said Harvey teacher Beth Swartz. "I want to teach them how to be good stewards of their environment."
The Salmon in the Classroom program is sponsored by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The DNR provided Swartz with the eggs, and a sponsor - Trout Unlimited - provided the equipment to raise them in the Harvey classroom.
"I'm surprised about how big the Salmon got," Harvey student Julian D'Souza said of the fish he watched grow from an egg.
The students were responsible for monitoring and feeding the fish, cleaning the tank and keeping track of their progress.
After raising the salmon for the past six months, the students gathered at Farmstead Park to release the fish into the Clinton River.
The fish - now about two to three inches long - will grow to about three feet and travel all the way to Lake Erie. Using a strong sense of smell, the salmon will return to Sterling Heights near the end of their life.
"I think it is important to learn more about the eco system," D'Souza said. "It's our world and we are going to live here."
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