VANCOUVER, Wash. — Columbia Springs is seeking new funding to sustain Salmon in the Classroom, a beloved legacy environmental education program serving more than 40 schools throughout Clark County. For more than 20 years, the program has connected local children with salmon, science and the watersheds they call home.

 

Clark Public Utilities’ proposed 2027 budget, presented at its November 10 workshop, does not include funding for Salmon in the Classroom. The budget remains under consideration, with a review and public hearing scheduled for November 17 and adoption slated for December 1. With its current funding agreement ending December 31, Columbia Springs is seeking new partners now to help sustain the program.

 

Columbia Springs is grateful for Clark Public Utilities’ longstanding partnership and the support that has brought Salmon in the Classroom to generations of local students. The organization deeply appreciates the utility’s continued support of Columbia Springs and its work in the community.

 

Through Salmon in the Classroom, students observe and care for coho salmon as they grow from eggs into young fish. They learn about water quality, salmon life cycles and the connections between healthy habitats and their communities. Spring releases bring those lessons outdoors as students release the fish they have helped raise.

 

The largest program of its kind in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Region 5, Salmon in the Classroom serves a network of schools where more than half are Title I schools. Its reach extends beyond individual classrooms. In many schools, salmon tanks sit in shared spaces where children stop each day to observe changes, ask questions and check on the fish.

 

“For a child who stops at the salmon tank every morning, these aren’t just fish. They’re friends and neighbors they’ve watched grow and learned to care about,” said Katherine Cory, executive director of Columbia Springs. “Some of our teachers have shared that experience with students for 20 years. When children release those salmon into local streams, they’re saying goodbye to a living legacy they’ve helped raise, and discovering that they have a part to play in caring for the world around them. We’re asking our community to help keep that experience possible for the children who haven’t had their turn yet.”

 

Without replacement funding, Columbia Springs will be unable to maintain its current level of coordinated program support. The organization is working with participating schools on transition options while seeking funding for equipment, technical assistance and educational experiences. Its goal is to restore full support so teachers can continue bringing salmon education to their students.

 

Columbia Springs invites foundations, businesses, community partners and individual donors to help sustain Salmon in the Classroom. Prospective supporters can contact Katherine Cory at [email protected] or contribute at https://onecau.se/salmon. Partners interested in seeing the program firsthand are also invited to connect with Columbia Springs about attending a spring salmon release.

 

About Columbia Springs

Columbia Springs is a nonprofit environmental education organization in Vancouver, Washington. Through hands-on science education at its 100-acre natural site and throughout the community, Columbia Springs provides a inquire staying and educational experiences that foster a greater awareness of the natural world and inspire stewardship.