Boat Safety at Annual Fishing Clinic, Photographer: K.Cullen 05/01/2007 ANWRC

Fishing Tanks, Photographer: K. Cullen, 05/01/2007 ANWRC

Fishing Tanks, Photographer: K. Cullen, 05/01/2007, ANWRC

Fish Printing, Photographer: K. Cullen, 05/01/2007, ANWRC

Cast Nets, Photographer: K.Cullen, 05/01/2007, ANWRC

Fish ID, Photographer: K. Cullen, 05/01/2007, ANWRC

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex hosted "Going Wild! 2007" environmental education activities for over 850 local 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th grade students and their teachers.  Schools from Austwell-Tivoli, Port O'Connor, Seadrift, Refugio, Port Lavaca, Woodsboro and Calallen visited the Refuge during the first week of May to learn about wildlife.  The series of educational programs was designed to teach students principles of conservation and wildlife stewardship.  Students rotated through several learning stations staffed by professionals from partnering organizations.

On Tuesday May 1^st, "Going Wild! 2007" celebrated National Fishing & Boating Week with a Kids Fishing Clinic.  This event offered students opportunities to learn about fish identification, fishing gear, wetland habitats, fly casting, bait casting, cast netting, game fish rules and regulations, what eats fish (food chain), gyotaku fish printing, actual fishing in two large fish tanks, boating safety, fish tile art, fish migration and "Walking Through Wetlands", Texas A & M Trailer.  Students learned about the unique role the National Wildlife Refuge System plays in providing vital habitat for wildlife in our communities and the importance of everyone working together to ensure wildlife of today is here for tomorrows generations.

This hands-on environmental education experience encourages an interest in fishing and promotes future participation in nature related activities. Partners that ensured the day's success were Friends of Aransas and Matagorda Island, Texas Mid-coast Refuges, Rockport Fly Fishers,Coastal Bends Bays and Estuaries Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery, Pure Fishing, Austwell-Tivoli ISD, Texas Master Naturalists, Austwell-Tivoli Lions Club, Wal-Mart Corporate, Texas A& M Corpus Christi Center for Coastal Studies and many volunteers.