On Wednesday, April 24th the freshman UPSMR class traveled to the Wanaque River during their fourth and fifth periods in order to release rainbow trout into the river. The class has been raising the rainbow trout in their classroom since the eggs were delivered on October 24th, 2023 from Pequest Hatcheries. While the students were raising the trout, they learned how to maintain a realistic environment for the unfamiliar companions. As the trout grew as the month progressed, the students recorded the visible changes in the fish, made connections with professionals from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and studied the newly hatched larva under a light microscope.

As the temperature increased with spring just around the corner, the UPSMR students were compelled to release their fish into their natural habitat. With a bittersweet goodbye, the students read a farewell poem to the fish as they were released and watched them acclimate to their new home. Madison Burgess, a freshman student in the UPSMR class, states, “We have raised them since they were just little eggs and watched them grow and flourish, and now we set them free to live life to the fullest in their natural habitat.”