- December 5, 2025
Fifth-grader Ian Crews, middle, drops the bass into second-grader Amirah Kardas' cup. Photo by Paige Wilson
Four-grader Kaleb Shaw gets ready to release a striped bass into the water. Photo by Paige Wilson
The striped bass ranged in size from 3 to 5 inches. When the Old Kings Elementary School students started caring for the fish six weeks ago, they were only half an inch long. Photo by Paige Wilson
Second-grader Amirah Kardas smiles after releasing a bass into the water. Photo by Paige Wilson
Old Kings Elementary students gather around the fish bucket to prepare to release the bass into the water. Photo by Paige Wilson
Students work together to transfer the bass from a large bucket to a small cup then into the water. Photo by Paige Wilson
Third-grader Gianna Seifert, left, plays a magnet fishing game. Photo by Paige Wilson
Fifth-grader Austin Weeks, right, plops the bass into a cup full of water. Photo by Paige Wilson
Fifth-grader Austin Weeks, right, scoops the bass out of the net to give to fourth-grader Kaleb Shaw. Photo by Paige Wilson
Derek Hardesty, 3, releases a bass into the water. Photo by Paige Wilson
Fifth-grader Glynnis Gong, left, and Allison Sims, middle, color rubber fish as a craft project at the bass release party. Photo by Paige Wilson
Fourth-grader Aidan Lafferty colors a rubber fish. Photo by Paige Wilson
Students at Old Kings Elementary School embraced their inner fish farmers over the last six weeks as they cared for about 150 small striped bass. On May 20 they released the bass into the water at Bull Creek Fish Camp in Bunnell. This educational experience was part of a STEM initiative called Small Fry to Go (SFtG) that encourages students in pre-K through eighth grade to learn about ecosystems and habitats.
The Old Kings students were excited to have this hands-on experience and said they enjoyed the release party.
"It was cool to see [the bass] grow overtime and start their new life," said fifth-grader Austin Weeks, who eagerly volunteered to scoop fish from buckets to the water.
Old Kings Principal Benjamin Osypian said about 1,200 students in kindergarten to sixth grade were involved with this life cycle process over the last six weeks.
When the school obtained the striped bass, they were only half an inch long, but they grew to be 3 to 5 inches by the time of the release party.
For more information on SFtG, visit www.smallfrytogo.net.
