PLAN was happy to partner with Saratoga Independent School (SIS) last Friday, March 31st to help the next generation of conservations celebrate Indigenous culture, our watersheds and the environment!
The day was a unique opportunity for young stewards to learn from professional storyteller Perry Ground of the Onondaga Nation about Indigenous peoples from the area and their strong connection to the environment and water. Perry shared stories emphasizing the importance of water and fish as sacred natural resources to Onondaga and the First Nations within the Haudenosaunee Confederation.
After school, SIS kindergarten and primary students, parents and teachers gathered at Kelley Park in Ballston Spa to release dozens of juvenile rainbow trout into the Kayaderosseras (commonly known as the Kayadeross) Creek. SIS Students raised the fish from eggs as part of the National Trout in the Classroom curriculum. For months, these young learners had been caring for the fish in a temperature-controlled tank, observing their behavior and monitoring water quality to prepare them for their release into the environment.
We can’t wait to see more from this passionate group of stewards!