news from hoosic valley schools - Hoosic Valley Central School

News from the 7-12 Building
News from HVCS
Student Won First Place at the NYS SkillsUSA Competition
John Tremblay, a Collision Technology student from Hoosic Valley High School, finished
first in the Collision Repair contest at the New York State SkillsUSA Competition in Syracuse,
New York on April 14-16.
More than three dozen Questar III students representing both the Columbia-Greene Educational
Center in Hudson and Rensselaer Educational Center in Troy competed in the
SkillsUSA state finals. SkillsUSA is a national organization for high school students enrolled
in CTE programs. Questar III students competed against more than 1,700 students from across
New York State, testing their technical and professional skills through hands-on and written
contests. Students also networked with educators and representatives from colleges, tech
schools, business and industry. Way to go John!
John Tremblay
Artists Recognized
Special congratulations to Courtney Mann and Jessica Harrington for having their work accepted into the 21 st
Annual Hudson Valley Community College High School Invitational Art Exhibit. Courtney received honorable mention
for her painting. A group of eight high school students participated in the Olympics of the Visual Arts this year. Two
juniors, Ethan Griswold and Jessica Harrington will be spending a month of their summer at SUNY Fredonia. They submitted
their portfolios to apply for the New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) and were accepted! This
is a tremendous honor and it will be a wonderful experience for these students. They will be taking classes in the studios
at SUNY Fredonia and getting a taste of what college life is like being an art major.
Trout in the Classroom
This year‘s Trout in the Classroom (TIC) program was
very successful. TIC is an environmental education program
in which students raise trout from eggs to fry (young fish).
The program finishes the year by releasing the trout in a
state approved stream or creek.
In the beginning of the year, the group set up the tank
about two weeks before receiving the eggs to allow the water
temperature and pH levels to balance out. Eggs were
then acquired from the New York State fish hatchery in Van
Hornesville. This year, the group raised Rainbow Trout.
Trout require water temperatures of about 50°F, so a chiller
and insulation around the tank are necessary to maintain the
tank consistently at this temperature.
Throughout the school year, the students met twice a
week to test the quality of the tank water to ensure everything
is balanced, such as the levels of pH, ammonia, nitrites,
and nitrates. After the water tests are completed, a
water change is done, and then necessary water treatment
solutions are added to make adjustments. Finally, the students
get to feed the fish.
The group released the Rainbow trout they raised into
the Quackenkill Creek, which is located just off of the
Poestenkill. This unique opportunity of raising and releasing
trout allows TIC students not only to learn about some
of our native species but also fosters an appreciation for
efforts to preserve the local environment. The Hoosic Valley
TIC program is one of only a few such programs within
the upstate area. Original funding for the tank and setup
was made possible by the Hoosic Valley Educational Foundation
and is supported by the local Trout Unlimited chapter
and of course, the efforts of Mrs. Givney and the TIC
students!
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