St. Thomas More fourth graders release baby salmon into Willow Creek

April 18, 2026

Link to My Edmonds News article

A student releasing salmon one cup at a time. (Photos courtesy Joe Scordino)

Fourth graders from St Thomas More School in Lynnwood were enthralled this week to release 100 coho salmon babies that they had successfully raised from eggs in their school aquarium, according Edmonds Stream Team leader Joe Scordino.

As part of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Salmon in Schools program (now called School Cooperative Program), the Edmonds Stream Team obtained 100 coho salmon eggs in January from WDFW’s Issaquah Hatchery and delivered them to the fourth graders’ aquarium at St. Thomas More School.

The students raised 100 coho salmon babies from eggs in their school aquarium.
The St. Thomas More fourth-grade class with their salmon in a transport bucket.

Raising baby salmon has been a special part of being in 4th grade at St. Thomas More School for many years, Scordino said. The students learn about the life cycle of salmon and the importance of healthy streams where these fish live — and get to actually see salmon eggs hatch and transition from the “alevin” stage (with a yolk sac) to the “fry” stage when they begin feeding in the aquarium.

“Over 500 schools in Washington have participated in the Salmon in Schools program, and it no longer surprises me when a young adult will tell me they still remember the joy of having a salmon aquarium at their school,” Scordino said.

Edmonds Stream Team leader Joe Scordino, right, watches as a student gets ready to release a baby salmon into Willow Creek.

“This year was especially exciting for St. Thomas More in that the fourth graders, with the help of teacher Kari Hopper, made sure all of the 100 salmon eggs hatched and became salmon fry that were then carefully released into Willow Creek — no mortalities,” Scordino added.