A generous donation from the North Hastings Wildlife Association (NHWA) which helped a school learn about conservation came full circle in less than six months.

It began when the NHWA donated a 30-gallon aquarium, stand, chiller, pumps, and lights, worth about $2,200, to York River Public School in January.

With the appropriate MNRF permit, the North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery (NHCFH) stepped in and provided the school with eyed-up lake trout eggs. The students then watched the eggs hatch and cared for the fish before releasing the fingerlings in a local lake.

Shortly after, the Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation, an arm of the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board that raises funds to provide students with “expanded opportunities for success,” donated $1,875 to the NHWA to support this initiative, said hatchery President Kevin Vance.

On July 17, the NHWA donated those same funds to the NHCFH. The plan was to have the York River Public School’s fish tank moved to the fish hatchery for the time being, to house brook trout on display for the free hatchery tours.

In January, it will be returned to the school so students will have another opportunity to care for and learn about a fish’s life cycle under the guidance of hatchery personnel.