Students Learn About Life: Release Salmon Fry Into Vaughn Creek

On a bright April afternoon, six classrooms from Vaughn Elementary School made a journey to Vaughn Creek to release the salmon fry they had raised from eggs. It was a big outing for the students as they walked over half a mile from their classrooms to the creek, but the two-inch fish were about to experience something much grander: life in the ocean.

The spring outing was once an annual tradition at Vaughn Elementary. This was the first since 2019.

With help from a small army of parents and teachers, STEM teacher Matt Mills made sure each student received a cup with a fish inside.

“Give it a name, say nice things to it, give it good wishes — don’t kiss it!” he said through a megaphone. The students watched their fish as closely as their feet as they went down the muddy path to the creek.

“We did books. We did art projects. We have the whole life cycle down the hall,” said Emilie Marchio, who has taught kindergarten at Vaughn for 10 years.

The students seemed to understand the importance of the moment. Plenty of sweet-talking to fish was heard. Fish names included Jimmy, Sprinkles, Flash, Rufus, Jackie, Geraldine.

As instructed, the students lowered their cups one by one into the creek — not dumping the fish out but letting them feel the creek current and swim out freely on their own.

The release happened on the property of Ben Bare and Mallory Megown. This fall, for the first time in the three years since the couple moved there, chum salmon returned to spawn in their backyard. They had heard stories from the longtime previous owners of the salmon run and past visits from Vaughn students. Bare and Megown were eager to reestablish the connection, especially once their two oldest kids started school at Vaughn.

“We’re so excited for the kids,” Bare said. “We’re excited to be part of the Vaughn community.”

“The former owners were great stewards of the property,” Bare added, “and we’re trying to continue that legacy.”

Things were set up last spring, but the salmon got a virus and could not be released. This year they looked hale and hearty and ready to grow: 245 chum salmon from the Minter Creek hatchery.

“Our family believes strongly in being outside and being part of the world,” Bare said. “Maybe it’s not realistic for classrooms to be outside a lot, but I’m happy that the school and Mr. Mills have taken this on.”

The school’s hallways are currently plastered with art projects depicting different stages of the salmon’s life cycle. Mills, in addition to teaching STEM, has been visiting the classrooms weekly to co-teach biology with the classroom teachers. Kindergartners focus on the life cycle of salmon. First-graders learn about food chains and habitats. Fourth-graders discuss survivorship and human impacts.

The evening after the release, Bare and Megown took their kids back down to the creek. With pink salmonberry blossoms overhead, they were able to spy a number of the salmon fry exploring the creek.