SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — Some high school students from Schuylkill Haven Area attended class at the Schuylkill County Fair Grounds in Wayne Township.
Instead of learning about Pennsylvania's ecosystem through textbooks, students learned in an outdoor classroom.
Like Abigail Zaglar, getting her hands dirty by planting trees and exploring different stations all about environment conservation.
“It's important because we need to protect the environment, and this whole day is about how we can do that properly,” she said.
More than 100 students from Schuylkill Haven Area High School got to release trout, plant trees, and learn what's really in their own backyard.
“I get to kinda see everything in my own perspective, when I'm at school, I have to learn on the laptop, which isn't as fun. And being outside is just better of an experience,” mentioned senior Katelynne Tolar.
Many state conservation groups were on hand for Schuylkill Haven Area's Environmental Day, like the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, allowing students like Sophomore Andrew Zimmerman to get up close and personal with some reptiles.
Zimmerman tells Newswatch 16 this experience helped him get over his fear of snakes.
“Snakes are friendly, and you can tell the difference between males and females by their eyes and body,” he said.
Students at Schuylkill Haven Area also released nearly 200 trout they've been raising in the classroom into Bear Creek today. With hopes, the fish make their way into the Schuylkill River.
Junior Abby Rugh is a part of Schuylkill Haven Area's Trout Committee.
“We got to see them when they were baby eggs to like them swimming out there. Like they were just in this tiny part of the tank, and now they are able to swim freely, so that was really cool to see,” she explained.
A more hands-on learning experience for students at Schuylkill Haven Area.
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