Educational Programs now being offered by WeCARE

WeCARE is pleased to be offering two complimentary, educational programs to schools in the West Credit Watershed for fall 2007. Trout Unlimited Canada's (TUC) Yellow Fish Road Program and the Stream of Dreams Program are fun and participatory ways for students to connect with their community and share an important message of environmental protection.

The Stream of Dreams

How to get involved: 1. Find a chain-link fence in good condition and get permission to use the fence for a mural from the owner of the property. Make sure the fence is not due for replacement in the next 5 years. 2. Get staff, students and parents excited about the project and arrange for volunteers to help prepare the wooden fish, schedule the painting and education workshops and help with mural installation. 3. Prepare the wooden fish (WeCARE will supply the patterns, instructions and guidance). 4. Provide space to present the workshops. The art workshop requires a well-ventilated, bright room. 5. WeCARE designs and directs the mural installation with help of community volunteers. You should start the process of preparing the wooden fish at least 6-8 weeks prior to your scheduled workshop and mural installation date. This will allow you enough time to acquire the plywood and have the Dreamfish prepared.

The Stream of Dreams brings together schools and their communities in producing a public work of art. The entire school participates in this program! In classroom workshops with Stream of Dreams instructors, students learn about their local stream, its importance and the things they can do to protect it. Then they paint wooden fish, which are installed on a local chain link fence as a message to the community, to look after their streams and rivers. The program raises awareness of local streams and the importance of clean water and beautifies the community with a long-lasting reminder of their environmental responsibility.

Cost Estimate and School Visit Information:

$3 per student plus materials for the wooden fish (some or all of these materials can be scrounged or donated by local companies.) WeCARE may be able to assist with this.

Services and materials included in above cost:

• Design, planning and watershed research
• Paint and other supplies for the in class workshops
• Instructors for the workshops.

Check out the beautiful fish murals being created all across Canada at streamofdreams.net

The Yellow Fish Road Program

The Yellow Fish Road (YFR) is Trout Unlimited Canada's nationwide environmental education program launched in 1991.

Since 1991, thousands of Canadian youth have participated in the Yellow Fish Road TM program to learn about the impact their community has on the supply of clean water.

YFR participants paint yellow fish next to storm drains and distribute fish-shaped brochures to nearby households, to remind residents that storm drains connect directly to the local water body .

Taking action empowers YFR participants and reinforces the knowledge they have gained, ensuring the program has a positive impact on our water resources.

As a partner, WeCARE serves as an administrator of the program for the area. As well as providing the safety equipment and all the painting materials in a kit for participating groups to do the road painting activity, we also provide an educational presentation to participating groups free of charge.

How does the Yellow Fish Road program work?

1. Register!
Teachers can register for the Yellow Fish Road program on the Green Street website and receive a free copy of Green Teacher magazine. Click on your grade division, region and Trout Unlimited Canada at: www.green-street.ca

If you complete the program and return the evaluation form, you will get a FREE one-year subscription to Green Teacher magazine!

2. Learning
Yellow Fish Road is best for Grades 3 and up. Learn about your local water supply. Visit the Yellow Fish Road™ website to download Grade 4 and Grade 9 curriculum, and other resources. www.yellowfishroad.org

Contact WeCARE to arrange an in-class presentation and educational activity.

3. Yellow Fish Road Crews – Painting in Your Community
Yellow Fish Road volunteers paint “yellow fish” symbols beside storm drains and distribute fish-shaped brochures to nearby households. This reminds people that anything entering the storm drain system ends up in the local water body.

We will send you a Yellow Fish Road Program Guide to help you prepare for your painting day. You can borrow complete painting kits for your class from WeCARE, your local Yellow Fish Road™ Partner. Contact WeCARE to arrange a date for your painting activity.


4. After Painting
Return an evaluation to WeCARE, your Yellow Fish Road Partner, and receive a certificate for your class and a small gift of appreciation!

Yellow Fish Road Photo Credits: Trout Unlimited