There were 79 tanks in 67 schools and 2 nature centers this year. 55 of those schools and 1 of the nature centers released trout this spring. Of the 12 schools that were unable to release their fish, 7 of them were brand new to the program. This is common and happens each year to both new and returning teachers for a variety of reasons, including equipment failure, overfeeding, and water chemistry issues that lead to disease. There have even been instances where the trout die on the way to or at the release due to lack of aeration!

Like in nature, the trout in our tanks die at all stages, from eggs right up until they get to the release site, which is something teachers prepare their students for even before eggs arrive in December. Fish mortality can be a teaching opportunity. This program has a steep learning curve for teachers and the first few years are often full of mistakes as teachers learn and work to incorporate TIC into their classrooms.

This year alone, 5700 students participated in MNTU lead programs. This includes fall aquatic macroinvertebrate studies, ice fishing and fly-tying programs in the winter, and spring trout releases and field days.  In addition, teachers we have trained to lead their own lessons and field days engaged many hundreds more students throughout the year. MNTU volunteers from all 5 chapters contributed over 500 hours of their time, assisting with programs and egg delivery. This volunteer support is integral to the success of the program and greatly increases its impact.

A shout out and thank you to John Weiss, MNTU member and volunteer, who worked closely with the new TIC teacher at Rushford-Peterson high school. He not only assisted with their egg delivery and trout release, but he also wrote two great articles for the Root River Current about the program and its impact on the teacher and his students. These articles are linked below.

Trout in the Classroom | Opening a New World To Kids

High Schoolers Learning from Trout: Rushford-Peterson students finish year-long science project

Through MNTU’s hard work over the past ten years, the TIC curriculum has become an essential component of elementary, middle, and high school classrooms across the state.  Next year there will be 91 tanks in 79 schools and 2 nature centers! If you’re interested in being a part of the fun and want to share your passion for trout and watershed conservation, consider becoming a TIC classroom ambassador. As an ambassador, you will be partnered with a school in your community to assist the teacher with tank set up, egg delivery, and TIC related activities during the school year. Click here for further information about this volunteer role. The 2025-26 TIC school map is linked here to find out what schools are located near you! Contact Amber Taylor, MNTU education supervisor, with any questions: mntu.education@gmail.com.