The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is announcing the availability of additional grant dollars to assist schools incorporating The National Fishing in Schools Program (NFSP) during the 2012-13 school year.
Initial funding was set aside for 10 grants at $1,000 each per calendar year. Due to the growing popularity of the fly-fishing curriculum with students, parents and teachers, an additional $4,000 has been allocated to fund classrooms in 2012. Schools adding NFSP into their learning activities are also eligible to coordinate TWRA school-sponsored Free-Fishing Days on local lakes, ponds or streams.
The NFSP is currently deployed in more than a dozen states. NFSP’s current “Cast a Fly, Catch a Student” curriculum approved by the State Boards of Education enables middle school and high school students to earn education credits while learning to fly fish, tie knots, and explore aquatic entomology. Students also learn about the importance of water quality and habitat conservation. The NFSP curriculum and activities correlate to National Academic Standards in Physical Education, Technology, Science and Language Arts.
“Tennesseans have seen an overwhelming success in the health and welfare of students in similar outdoor educational programs supported by TWRA, such as the archery and the scholastic clay target programs,” said Don King, TWRA Chief of Information and Education. “TWRA is committed to creating and maintaining high quality fishing opportunities and ‘Fishing in Schools’ complements our efforts by teaching the skills necessary to enjoy and conserve our state resources for future anglers.”
The NFSP hopes to reach 500 schools across the United States and teach 225,000 youth by 2015, with support and funding from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, State and Federal Fish/Wildlife Agencies, private companies and individual donors. Two one-day Teacher/Mentor training classes are set for Oct. 10-11 at John Overton High School in Nashville. Registration can be made at www.flyfishinginschools.org.
TWRA Grant applications must be submitted by Dec. 31. Grant Applications are available online at the TWRA website. For questions concerning the grants or NFSP in Tennessee contact Don Crawford at (615) 781-6542 or by email at Don.Crawford@tn.gov. Additional information is also available on the NFSP website, www.flyfishinginschools.org