Students in Elizabeth Harwick's science class at Northwestern Lehigh Middle School recently took part in Release Day for the trout they raised in the classsroom.

Resource Manager for Nestlé Waters-Deer Park Eric Andreus, the program sponsor, said this was the third year for the program, which is about cold-water conservation and the life cycle of the trout.

The eggs were taken to the school in late November or early December. This year's fingerlings are larger than other years and had a lower mortality rate.

The eggs, from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, are ready to be released in six months.

"We have a very healthy stock of baby brook trout," Andreus said.

Wildlands Conservancy of Emmaus taught about the macroinvertebrates that also live in Ontelaunee Creek where the fish were released.

Denise Bauer and Christine Murray arrived early and looked through buckets of water to find the tiny fish and place them in a white pan where their dark color shows up well. The students attempted to identify them from pictures on a chart.

Water is tested first for pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen to ensure its compatibility for trout. The pH value is a test for acidity or alkalinity with 7 being pure water.

"It's a great opportunity to get the kids outside and in touch with our most important resource which is water," Andreus said.

Bauer added there are so many species of Mayflies.

Look, it doesn't have gills on the abdomen," Murray said. It's a Damselfly with a large tail.

She said there should be more trees on the bank of the stream to help keep it cool.

The Wildlands Conservancy does stream remediation and tries to preserve sensitive land in the Lehigh Valley watersheds.

"When it rains, the runoff and gravity pulls the water to the lowest point, which is the stream," Bauer said. "It brings pesticides and litter with it so you want the environment to be clean."

There are three classes of fish: one that needs clean water to survive, one where the water is dirty but the fish can survive and one where the water is so bad fish cannot survive.

After the fish were released, the students went to the pavilion where they placed 25 words or phrase answers on a chart for a game of bingo.

When they had the answer to a question, they marked it off. Prizes were edible.

Then, it was time for a fast game of predators and prey.

Students formed a line and three predators were chosen to be across the center of the field to try and catch the prey as they ran across.

Anyone caught became a part of the predator team.