elementary school contest

Rank&File hosted a journalism contest for the sixth grade class at Lemon Road Elementary School following a visit and lesson from the editorial staff. After careful consideration, the staff selected “Sixth graders prevent imminent demise of trout” as the winner, which earned Rishika Jain a spot in the opinion section as a featured letter to the editor.

by Rishika Jain

Ms. Bush, along with the sixth graders, have been raising trout since early October of 2018.
Trout is a species of fish that lives throughout Virginia.
Population counts are low, which suggests a need for trout to be raised and released in order to increase their chances of survival.
So far, Lemon Road has raised 62 trout.
Taking care of trout has informed sixth graders about crucial information in science that will prepare them for the future.
A few of the principles they are learning are pH levels, Ammonia and Nitrite levels.
They are also learning how to be independent and responsible citizens.
According to Ms. Bush, “[Raising trout is] a relevant and interesting way to learn measuring skills for the chemical components in water.”
Awhile ago, sixth graders were tested to see how well they could work in times of stress.
The nitrite level in the water had risen above 25 to 30 parts per million. The nitrite in a fish tank is formed when fish released waste, ammonia, interacts with bacteria and becomes toxic to fish.
Sixth graders had to alert Ms. Bush at once, as all the trouts lives were at stake.
They dumped out the current water in the tank and replaced it with new, clean water. There were no trout casualties.
When the trout have grown enough to survive in the wild, sixth graders release them.
Two sixth grade classes, chosen at random, get to take a field trip to the Wildcat Hollow trail.
They set free the trout in the streams along the trail. Sixth graders have had an enjoyable time in the past years in this field trip.