BAY MILLS INDIAN COMMUNITY – Bay Mills Indian Community Biological Services and the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan hosted students from Ojibwe Charter School for a field trip to teach students and staff of OCS how to ice fish and the traditional importance of ice fishing. The activity was supported with funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Bay Watershed Education and Training project. The ice fishing experience took place February 23, 26, and 27 at Waiska Bay near Bay Mills Resort and Casino.
The activity provided staff and students Kindergarten through 12th grade with Meaning Watershed Educational Experiences or MWEEs. The activity brought the classroom outdoors for staff and students over the span of three days. In total an estimated 130 students went ice fishing with 30 staff who participated in a professional development day.
“This event was important because this event allows students to leave the classroom and spend time outdoors learning how to fish on the ice. OCS is trying to incorporate outdoor education in student curriculums to offer students direct, real-world application in an applied learning environment . This event provided an opportunity to students and staff of OCS to be outside and enjoy traditional winter time activities,” said Dustin Paras, Program Manager at Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan.
This event was made possible with volunteers who helped each day. Volunteers included ITCM Environmental Services Department, Bay Mills Biological Services along with Kyle and Cole Tadgerson who are BMIC citizens and commercial fishermen. Each volunteer assisted in helping students learn how to ice fish and keep students afe while on the ice. The event came together through planning meetings with OCS Superintendent Stephanie Vittitow and OCS Language and Cultural Teacher Joshua Biron.
Paras continues “Events similar to this one are very important. The outdoors is a great classroom. With 4-5 months of winter and Waiska Bay being five minutes from OCS, this make the event perfect to have students take a break from the classroom and learn something new outside. Equipment was purchased at a gracious discount from Wilderness Treasures of Pickford which included 27 ice fishing rods, jigs, hooks, and bait which was left to OCS after the event.”
ITCM was awarded another round of funding for the NOAA B-WET program to continue until July, 2027. This program will have more field days in the spring and fall of this year where students will learn the importance of healthy local watersheds. Next year’s ice fishing event planning has already begun.
To learn more about the NOAA B-WET program, please contact Dustin Paras at dustin.paras@itcmi.org or 906-632-6896.
