Highland Terrace and Syre students release salmon into Boeing Creek

Ed Barnes and Syre students prepare to release salmon into Boeing Creek.

By Frank Kleyn

with Contributions from Heidi Alexander

On Tuesday, May 29th, Shoreline Firefighter Ed Barnes and 60 Highland Terrace fifth-graders hiked down to Boeing Creek to release this year’s school-raised salmon fry.  Ed led Syre students to release their salmon on May 22nd.  

Ed Barnes and Highland Terrace students prepare to release salmon
into Boeing Creek. (photo by Lisa Hirohata)

Since 1995, Ed has volunteered countless hours of time helping Highland Terrace and Syre students hatch and release salmon into Boeing Creek.  Ed has taught hundreds of students the salmon lifecycle and the importance of preserving our local ecosystem.  Students and staff at both schools are deeply appreciative of the time and teaching Ed has dedicated to this yearly project.

Two salmon fry ready to be released into Boeing Creek.
 (photo by Lisa Hirohata)

In January, Syre and Highland Terrace each receive one hundred fertilized salmon eggs from the Issaquah fish hatchery. With Ed's guidance, students lower the eggs by hand into their school aquarium's gravel. Over the months it is the responsibility of the students to feed and observe the salmon. Ed visits each school once a week to check up, clean the tanks, and teach students. 

Highland Terrace students releasing salmon
 into Boeing Creek. (photo by Lisa Hirohata)

In May, each school releases the salmon fry along with an additional 1000 salmon fry from the Laebugten Hatchery in Edmonds. The fry are released into Boeing Creek southwest of the retention pond, at 6th Ave NW and 175th NW. In 2001, 89 returning coho salmon were counted at Boeing Creek.

 Syre students watch as their salmon fry swim in Boeing Creek.

Thanks to the Shoreline Schools Foundation, Highland Terrace fifth graders also had an in-depth look at salmon with environmental educator Julie Tubbs Luthy. Students donned costumes to act out the life cycle of salmon, and faced the obstacles of predators, dam turbines, fisherman and waterfalls.  

Ed Barnes and Highland Terrace students celebrate
releasing salmon into Boeing Creek. (photo by Lisa Hirohata)

In a mock city council meeting, students made presentations and debated a proposal to build a dam.  Lastly, through a predator-prey game they learned how toxins accumulate in salmon and people who eat them. Julie’s unit taught students about our fragile local ecosystem, the link between salmon and people, and how each of us can help preserve our natural environment.