Eels in the Classroom
Eels in the Classroom (EIC) is an experimental, small-scale environmental education opportunity provided by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. Headed by fisheries biologist Aaron Henning, the program provides juvenile American eels to educators to raise in their classrooms and ultimately release back into the Susquehanna River. The EIC project partners with other natural resource agencies and the operators of Conowingo Dam who have been collectively working to bring eels back to their native waters. Students learn about the value and importance of migratory fish through the ecosystem functions they perform.
Participants
In 2018, the first EIC program included two participants: Lewisburg Area High School and the Bradford County Conservation District. Since then the program has grown by word of mouth to include participants in the table below. If you are interested in participating in the EIC program, please fill out the form at https://www.srbc.gov/our-work/american-eels/contact.html.
| School District/Organization | Years |
|---|---|
| Abington Heights School District (Clarks Summit Elementary School) | 2019, 2021-2025 |
| Athens Area School District (Athens High School) | 2023-2025 |
| Athens Area School District (Harlan Rowe Middle School) | 2025 |
| Benton Area School District (L.R. Appleman Elementary) | 2024-2025 |
| Big Spring School District (Big Spring High School) | 2025 |
| Bloomsburg Christian School | 2021-2022 |
| Bradford County Conservation District | 2018-2025 |
| Canton Area School District (Canton Area High School) | 2023-2025 |
| Central Columbia Area School District (Central Columbia Middle School) | 2025 |
| Central Dauphin School District | 2024 |
| Conestoga Valley School District (Conestoga Valley High School) | 2021-2025 |
| Cumberland Valley Eagle View Middle School | 2022 |
| Danville High School (Danville High School) | 2019, 2021-2025 |
| Derry Township School District (Hershey High School) | 2023-2025 |
| Diocese of Harrisburg (Our Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic School) | 2024-2025 |
| Diocese of Scranton (Epiphany School) | 2024-2025 |
| Donegal School District (Donegal Intermediate School) | 2024-2025 |
| Elizabethtown Area School District (Elizabethtown Area Middle School) | 2025 |
| East Pennsboro High School | 2019, 2021 |
| Galeton Area School District | 2023-2025 |
| Harford County Public Schools (North Harford High School) | 2024-2025 |
| Harrisburg Academy | 2022, 2023-2025 |
| Harrisburg Area School District (Commonwealth Charter Academy) | 2025 |
| Hempfield School District (Landisville Education Center) | 2022-2025 |
| Huntingdon Area School District (Huntingdon Area High School) | 2025 |
| Jersey Shore Area School District (Jersey Shore Area Senior High School) | 2025 |
| Juniata County Conservation District | 2021 |
| Juniata County School District (East Juniata High School) | 2022-2025 |
| Juniata County School District (Juniata Elementary School) | 2022-2025 |
| Juniata County School District (Juniata High School) | 2021-2025 |
| Keystone Central School District (Central Mountain High School) | 2023-2025 |
| LaFayette Central School District (Onondaga Nation School) | 2025 |
| Lampeter Strasburg High School | 2022 |
| Lewisburg Area High School | 2019, 2021-2023 |
| Lower Dauphin School District (Nye Elementary) | 2024 |
| Loyalsock Township Senior High School | 2019 |
| Luzerne Intermediate Unit (Lighthouse Academy) | 2025 |
| Lycoming College | 2023-2025 |
| Manheim Central School District (Doe Run Elementary) | 2021-2025 |
| Manheim Central School District (Manheim Middle School) | 2021-2025 |
| Midd-West School District (Middleburg Elementary School) | 2025 |
| Midd-West School District (Midd-West High School) | 2025 |
| Mifflin County School District (Mifflin County High School) | 2022-2025 |
| Millville Area School District (Millville Jr/Sr High School) | 2022-2025 |
| Milton Area Senior High School | 2019, 2021-2023 |
| Milton Hershey High School | 2022 |
| Montour Preserve (The Vernal School) | 2024-2025 |
| Muncy School District (Muncy Jr/Sr High School) | 2025 |
| North Central Secure Treatment Unit | 2022-2025 |
| North East Secure Treatment Unit (Pittston) | 2025 |
| North Rome Christian School (Grace Christian Academy) | 2024-2025 |
| Northeast Bradford School District (Northeast Bradford High School) | 2022-2025 |
| Northeastern York | 2023 |
| Northwest Area School District (Northwest Middle/High School) | 2025 |
| Otto-Eldred School District | 2024 |
| Palmyra Area School District (Palmyra Area Middle School) | 2022-2025 |
| Red Lion Area School District (Red Lion Junior High School) | 2022-2025 |
| Salt Springs State Park | 2025 |
| Sayre Area School District | 2023 |
| Shikellamy School District | 2024 |
| Southern Columbia Area School District (Southern Columbia Middle School | 2023, 2025 |
| Southern Columbia School District (Faith and Friends PreSchool) | 2025 |
| Southern Tioga School District (Liberty Elementary School) | 2023-2025 |
| Sugar Valley Rural Charter School | 2024-2025 |
| SUNY Charter School (Finn Academy) | 2025 |
| Susquehanna County Conservation District | 2024-2025 |
| This Is My Quest Conservation Center | 2023-2025 |
| Tioga County Secondary Education Facility | 2023 |
| Tioughnioga Riverside Academy (Whitney Point Central School District) | 2025 |
| Towanda Area School District (Towanda Area Jr/Sr High School) | 2025 |
| Troy Area School District (Troy Intermediate School) | 2023-2025 |
| Valley View School District | 2019 |
| Warwick School District (Warwick High School) | 2023-2025 |
| Waverly Central School District (Waverly High School) | 2025 |
| Wellsboro Area School District (Wellsboro High School) | 2021-2025 |
| West Shore School District-Cedar Cliff | 2023 |
| Williamsport Area School District (Williamsport Area High School) | 2023-2025 |
| Wyalusing Area School District (Wyalusing Elementary School) | 2023-2025 |
| York County School of Technology | 2023 |
| York Suburban School District (York Suburban Middle School) | 2022-2025 |
Lewisburg High School
Juniata High School
Abington Heights High School
The Vernal School Environmental Education Partnership at the Montour Preserve in Danville, PA offers a great opportunity for virtual learners to see elvers up close from any location. Special thanks to Vernal School staff, The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, the Montour Area Recreation Commission and Fessler IT Consulting for creating and maintaining this unique opportunity.
Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Live Stream
For more information, please visit The Vernal School’s website.
Donegal Intermediate School in Marietta, PA also offers a livestream of their tank, located in the library for all students to see. Students in 3rd-6th grade learn about the American eel as part of their STEM and library classes. Special thanks to Mr. Wulfkuhle, Ms. Shoemaker, and library staff for creating and maintaining this unique opportunity.