WE LOVE HANDS ON SCIENCE! For the past two years, Bayard Elementary 5th grade class has traditionally participated in Nebraska's Trout in the Classroom program. The class has created a Facebook page for local followers to learn about the program with the students. Students become the expert Trout Techs and work daily to water test, record data, and make repeated observations. In conjunction with the program, students have teamed up with the National Organization to do a pen pal quilt exchange that ties into the learning of the Trout in the Classroom curriculum. Students create their own quilt square with the trout on it and write a letter telling about our own personal program. They then send out the letters to 25+ different schools in the United States also participating, and receive letters and squares back in return. A local parent then helps students sew the quilt together, and the quilts are hung in the school. This program teaches responsibility and lifelong skills.