While fishing, Studebaker 5th grader Adrian made one of the more unusual catches.
Over the weekend high school seniors across Des Moines were donning their caps and gowns to celebrate graduation.
Today, 5th graders at Studebaker Elementary School were donning life vests and fishing poles to celebrate their promotion to middle school.
That’s thanks to the “back yard” at Studebaker being Fort Des Moines Park, a 135-acre recreational area operated by the Polk County Conservation Board on the south side of Des Moines. The park, once part of a military post that served as the first Officers’ Training Camp for black cadets and the U.S. Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps during World War II, today is a place for fishing and hiking and paddling.
Staff from PCCB were on hand to provide students an opportunity to learn about and participate in four different nature activities: canoeing, hiking, fishing, and exploring pond life.
Students rotated among the four different activities. At the boat launch, several canoes were ready to take to the water. But first, students strapped into life vests and got a lesson on how to paddle before taking to the water (it’s a cooperative effort if you hope to go anywhere).
Further down shore another group of students were learning about the variety of life in a pond. Armed with nets, they gathered a mix of insects and amphibians to bring ashore for study.
Around the corner, students had gone fishin’. A lesson in how to cast a line and bait a hook was provided before trying to reel in a catch. A few blue gills, and one very large toad, were caught, although it was strictly a catch-and-release exercise.
And all around the park students were led on a nature hike, learning about the flora and fauna that lives even in a more urban setting.
There’s an old expression that good fences make for good neighbors. In the case of Studebaker Elementary School, the lack of a fence makes for a great neighbor in having the chance to work with our partners at the Polk County Conservation Board.
