MARQUETTE – The Fred Waara Chapter of Trout Unlimited, headquartered in Marquette, initiated the Salmon in the Classroom program more than a decade ago.

Through the program, FWCTU provides funding and support for the set-up of eight aquariums in schools throughout the U.P. Each year the aquariums are supplied with 200 salmon eggs in late November, provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and they hatch in January.

Teachers and students raise the salmon until mid-May when they take a field trip to a local salmon habitat and release the fish into the stream. During the winter period, the teachers incorporate the salmon into many of their lesson plans such as environment, fish habitat, conservation, and water quality.

FWCTU volunteers will assist the teachers and students of the following schools as they release their salmon. All releases will be held in the morning unless otherwise noted.

— Gladstone School, Friday at Pioneer Park in Escanaba.

— Escanaba High School, Friday at Pioneer Park in Escanaba.

— Iron Mountain School, Friday at the Dead River below Tourist Park Dam in Marquette.

— Powell Township School, Tuesday, May 14, at the Iron River in Big Bay.

— Superior Central School, Wednesday, May 15, at the Dead River below Tourist Park Dam in Marquette.

— Cherry Creek School, Wednesday, May15, at the Dead River below Tourist Park Dam in Marquette

–Gwinn Middle School, Friday, May 17, at the Dead River below Tourist Park Dam in Marquette.

Grand Marais School, Friday, May 24, at 1 p.m. at the Sucker River near Grand Marais.

If the river water level is too high and too fast, the release locations may be changed. Contact Bob Jensen at 906-228-3052 (pbjup@hotmail.com) for details.