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Davvy Juanico, 5th grader at Mt. Taylor Elementary patiently waits for a bite. Faith - CC -
5th and 6th graders learn about conservation. Faith Mosley - CC -
Matt Lackey, Tyler Twichell, and Tyson Sanders of NM Dept. of Game & Fish. Faith Mosley - CC -
Issac Jaramillo, Tyson Sanders of Game & Fish, Alora Heredia, Averi Elkins, Instructional Coach Mindy Thayer, and Emalynn Garcia from Mt. Taylor Elementary School. Faith Mosley - CC
GRANTS, NM – The first annual New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Field Trip happened at the Grants Riverwalk Park on Friday and included both the fifth and six grades from Mt. Taylor Elementary School. According to one of the organizers, Corporal Matt Lackey, “We want to give kids experience in outdoor conservation education and just being outside.” The Game and Fish Department stocked the pond with over 120 Rainbow trout up to 24 inches long, though no one had caught any of the big ones yet.
A group of students sat in silence, enraptured by Sgt. Tyson Sanders, another organizer, as he talked about long-horned antelope, how it was the second fastest animal in the world and could sustain speeds up to 35 mph for up to eight hours. “They evolved on the North American Serengeti. They had to be able to outrun predators.” Sanders moved on to beavers- “those amazing engineers” and then held up a real Mountain Lion pelt.
The Game and Fish field trip had four stations that the kids could rotate through: archery, air rifle, conservation education, and fishing. Game and Fish officers were on hand to help kids get worms on hooks, shoot air rifles, learn about New Mexico wildlife and habitats, and learn the art of archery. Bruce Atencio had taught K-12 P.E. for 32 years before becoming the NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) coordinator for Game and Fish. “We’ve had 720 New Mexico kids participate in the program; some even went on to the national championships,” he said. He stood before an eager circle of kids and asked them what their dominant hand was - right or left. “Okay,” he said. “Righthanded people use this bow, and lefties use this other one.” The kids grabbed their bows and began to line up. Atencio said he had worked with kids from Milan Elementary and Seboyeta Elementary. He hopes to expand the roster.
Mt. Taylor Elementary Instructional Coach, Mindy Thayer, said: “I hope this becomes a yearly event. The kids love it, and the pond got stocked.” The fifth and sixth graders moved from station to station smiling in anticipation of what was coming next. Game and Fish even brought an official department ATV so they could talk about how to stay safe while operating an Off Highway Vehicle.
The officers from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish included: Matt Lackey, Tyler Twichell, Tyson Sanders, Tyler Carter, Alberto Melendez, Jerry Pohl, and Bruce Atencio. Staff from Mt. Taylor Elementary School supervised the kids, and water was provided by Peabody Energy.