Come to the Library!

Come to the Highland Park Public Library to see a display that features HPHS's student work about the ravines. We were so impressed with and inspired by all of the projects they created. Some made children's books, art and photography, presentations on fish and plant species and even a rap all about saving the fish.

The exhibit will be on display for the next few weeks, and includes student-created pamphlets overviewing the project.

Summer Volunteering

Although the school year is coming to a close, there are still a lot of opportunities to work with the Natural Areas program this summer and beyond! We meet at Heller Nature Center every weekday morning at 8:30am -- come join us to help with restoration efforts, water quality testing, species counts and more!. We would love to have you come help us out!

We will be working with 2 college interns and if you are interested in environmental studies, keep this internship in mind as a possibility after your freshman year of college.

Contact Rebecca Grill and/or Liz Ettelson if you would like to get involved! 

RGrill@pdhp.org

EEttelson@pdhp.org

Ravine life close-up

Yesterday we met for a final session with HPHS Students down at Ravine Drive. We focused on macroinvertebrates and the microscopic insects that all ravine inhabitants depend on.

An HPHS AP Environmental Science student, Jim Tingey and Steve Courtright of Trout Unlimited check a rock for macroinvertebrates. We were so lucky to have Steve come out and talk with the students about the importance of these insects.

Checking out the insect life under a microscope

Liz Ettelson and Jessica Soto net with students in the ravine

Rebecca Grill of PDHP sorts through some leaf litter

A baby white sucker fish up close

The exoskeleton of a caddisfly under the microscope

Trout in the Classroom Pictures

 Thank you to Bob Lamley, Trout Unlimited volunteer, who sent us these beautiful photos that give a glimpse into the whole process of Trout in the Classroom.

Members of Trout Unlimited working on the tank

Jim Tingey of Trout Unlimited holding up a tagging gun. Don't shoot!

The fish are tagged in order to monitor them and see if they return to spawn in our stream

Park District board member Lori Flores Weisskopf and her children take a peek at the fish

Braeside teacher Shara Lieberman arrives carrying one last trout - No Fish Left Behind!

Park District Board President Scott Meyers welcomes the group

Marc Miller, President of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, commends the students for their hard work and encourages them to pursue their interest and stewardship of the environment

HP Mayor Nancy Rotering and her son, a Braeside 4th grader who participated in Trout in the Classroom

Mitch Kiesler of Trout Unlimited helps a fish down the slip n' slide

Students watch as the last fish are released into the stream

Trout in the News!

Check out this article covering the release of the rainbow trout as part of the Trout in the Classroom project at Braeside School:

"School Project Swims Away" - Highland Park News