When I received an invitation to hang out with kindergartners at the Colville Fish Hatchery, I jumped at the chance. I’ve often driven by the place while heading up the Tiger Highway, and it was about time I saw what went on there. I figured we’d be looking at tanks of fish and… well, looking at tanks of fish. But fish are cool and an important part of our life here in Stevens County, so off I went.
Boy was I in for a big surprise.
I walked into the office behind the hatchery building to discover about a dozen high school students with Tami Thueringer, the Manager and Instructor of the Colville Fish Hatchery. The juniors and seniors were there as part of a CTE program offered through the NEWTECH Skills Center. Tami explained that they’ve partnered with schools to form a connection between the ages, and it was great for nurturing leadership skills.
By this point, I was completely confused. I kept thinking, When do I get to see the fish? I had images of children gazing into the tanks with wonder in their eyes. Those were going to make great pictures. When was that happening?
It wasn’t. We weren’t going to talk about fish today — we were going to talk about trees. It turns out the hatchery includes over 19 acres perfect for exploring, and is home to one of the Notable Trees of Colville…
