All Saints Students Release 200 Endangered Salmon Into Kenduskeag Stream

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Following several months dedicated to study and nurturing a particular type of fish, the students from All Saints Catholic School had the opportunity to release them into their natural habitat on Thursday.

Over the last several months, seventh-grade students at All Saints Catholic School in Bangor have been cultivating around 200 Atlantic salmon.

They observed the endangered creatures emerge from their eggs, then documented various stages of their development before setting them free into the Kenduskeag Stream.

“The teacher, Mrs. Rehmeyer, she came here every Wednesday and checked the temperature of the stream and then she would adjust the temperature in the tank so the fish would know like they would be ready for the temperatures of the stream, and we fed them every week. We, like watched them grow and saw the stages of them and drew them.” explained Jacob Stone, a students at All Saints.

This class seeks to educate children about science while emphasizing the significance of having an impact, even if it’s minor.

"We need to demonstrate that we can also create an impact with this initiative, correct? Today, we likely released around a few hundred salmon. Clearly, not all of them will survive, but some certainly will, resulting in a number greater than what we had this morning. This serves as a crucial learning experience," explained Johanna Lake, who is the school's principal.

“Noah Bolster, a student, explained that despite having only a small number of them, these fish will reproduce as they mature, leading to numerous offspring. Thus, even this limited group has the potential to restore the entire population.”

Along their journey, they conducted extensive research, finishing up weekly "Fishtastic Fridays" tasks.

We spent several months teaching in the classroom; they've been studying using various tools like online resources and textbooks," Lake said. "But seeing the fish swim away into the river really ties everything together for them. It makes their study complete with an enjoyable finale.

Each year, students eagerly anticipate the annual project that gives them the chance to discover new sights and experiences.

"I truly enjoyed observing the fish as they grew and sketching them at each stage of their development, including the fascinating moment when the eggs hatched," stated Bolster.

"We had a dish on the table, and we witnessed something hatching right in front of our eyes, which was incredibly exciting for me," Stone exclaimed.