Fishing Day for Rose Elementary School

Rose Elementary fourth-graders enjoyed sunny skies and a pond stocked with trout on Saturday at Ed R. Levin County Park. Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Milpitas, police and fire were on hand to assist 57 students.

Half a dozen children took home a trout for dinner, but for adults such as John Jay, the Rotary Club fishing chairman who has organized the event since 1996, the important part is teaching life skills.

"A lot of kids get it. You take most of these kids, they enjoy it, they pick up on it, they're easy to teach," he said. But a few of them get mad and quit.

"We always try and reach those kids, because to me, that's more rewarding that being the coach of the star football player," he said. "It's called fishing, not catching. I can't emphasize enough, it's about the experience."

Principal Nanci Pass, who is new this year at Rose Elementary, along with fire Chief Brian Sturdivant, experienced the event for the first time. Science teacher Amanda Montoro brings continuity to the annual event—her mother, Maryann Nechocea, who retired last year as a science teacher. 

Fishing day doesn't come cheap, but Jay wants to expand the program to other schools.

"We would like to get another school involved so we can service more of the kids and get more of them exposed to this experience," he said.

The California Department of Fish and Game donated 350 pounds of trout that would have cost $3.90 a pound. South Bay Fishing in the City lent the poles. Fisherman's Warehouse supplied the nets, worms and tools for skinning fish. Rotarians barbecued and served lunch for 140 hungry eaters. Boating engine company Evinrude donated T-shirts and prizes for a writing contest for the students.

The event takes a lot of work, but "nobody has more fun at this than me," said Jay. 

Vice Mayor Pete McHugh, a Rotarian, also stopped by to support the students.