This time of year brings back fond memories from my teaching days at Central High School. While there, I was privileged to teach Natural Resources courses in addition to Agricultural Production and Leadership Development. And one of the highlights of natural resources was stocking trout.
According to their website, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources hatches and grows over 1.2 million trout in five hatcheries throughout the Commonwealth. Once they reach catchable size, these Rainbow, Brook, Brown and Tiger trout are released into more than 180 streams and lakes for anglers to enjoy. This initiative is fully funded through trout licenses.
Although these fish can be stocked from October to June, the bulk of this is done each March, April, and May. The fish are loaded into oxygenated tanks on large trucks and transported to locations where VDWR personnel and volunteers net them out and toss them into the water. Sadly, liability issues now prevent students from benefiting from these educational opportunities.
During my teaching years, the local game wardens (now Conservation Police Officers) coordinated these experiences. We usually connected in early spring regarding generalities but specific dates, times, and locations were unknown until the morning of each stocking.
The indefinite and sudden nature of these surprise field trips required extensive preparation beforehand. As a teacher, I had to have lesson plans prepared to leave on a moment’s notice and have substitutes on standby. I had to share a list of potential participants with other teachers and if any student was slacking in their work, teachers could declare that student ineligible until they were in good standing.
Students had to have signed permission slips from parents as well as the assurance that they would make up missed work. Failure to do so would prevent future involvement and this was great motivation to keep them up-to-date in each class. They also had to store appropriate clothing in their lockers for whatever the weather might be on stocking days.
It was always exciting to get that call early in the morning telling me to have a certain number of students at a specific location to meet the truck. The students were also excited as I recruited them in the hallway that morning on my way to the office to get the van keys. The fresh green growth, spring wildflowers, and an occasional deer, turkey, or fox sighting enhanced these outdoor educational opportunities.
But we all had to be ever ready. If I or my students were not prepared, we couldn’t participate. Although we knew the calls would come, we never knew when thus necessitating groundwork ahead of time.
I often thought how much trout stocking was like the anticipation of Jesus’ return. He’s promised us that He’s coming and He’s admonished us to be ready and waiting, but He hasn’t told us when. In the meantime, we should do what He’s commanded us to do and have our affairs ever in order for His appearing. Jesus told us in Luke 12:37, “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.”
Many people have attempted to determine the date and time of Jesus’ return in spite of His clear statement that no one knows the day or hour. Instead of revealing this information, however, He repeatedly commands His followers to be ready and prepared at all times and on every day.
We are to be wearing clothes of righteousness with up-to-date accounts of confession with God and forgiveness of others. Our permission slips must be signed, not by our parents, but by our own willingness to accept Jesus as Savior with His approval penned in blood. Failure to properly prepare will prevent us from participating not just in a fun outdoor learning experience, but in an even better eternity with God in heaven. If you’re not prepared for Jesus’ return, let the spring trout stocking remind you to get ready today! Blessings, George
