On February 2, 2007 Alpena FRO biologist Jim McFee took part in the Defer Elementary School science night.  The school is located in Grosse Point Park, Michigan on the shores of Lake St. Clair.  Science night consisted of several rooms that more than 200 students and parents could visit.  Most rooms were dealing with physics related topics.  The Fish and Wildlife Service room dealt with educating the students and parents about invasive species and control measures.

The night was filled with questions and answers about aquatic nuisance species.  A display board filled with information on nuisance species triggered the questions in addition to a DVD on Asian carp.  The display board contained information on round goby, tubenose goby, Eurasian ruffe, sea lamprey, zebra mussels and Asian carp.  The students also had a chance to look at real fish preserved in plastic or alcohol.  These items gave the students a chance to see some of the species first hand, to help them identify them on their next fishing or lake trip.  Plenty of literature was also available to take home.  The big message of the night was to help stop the spread of these unwanted species by cleaning boats and not dumping bait.  

As a follow-up to the program, students were involved in a project drawing pictures of their favorite Michigan lake experience.  The collection of pictures will be sent to state and federal congressional representatives to encourage support for construction of a permanent fish barrier in the Chicago Sanitary Canal.  This fish barrier is the last line of defense for the Great Lakes from Asian Carp.  This event once again shows how education is the strongest tool the natural resource profession can use.