Rouse Outdoors
Check out our social media
  • Home
  • Videos
  • News
  • Resources
    • Heated docks in Kansas
  • Contact Us
  • Partner Sites
  • Chatroom
  • Photos
    • Hunting Photos
    • Fishing Photos
    • Weather Photos
    • Scenery Photos

Fishing club takes off at Seaman High School in Topeka

2/15/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Members of the Seaman Fishing Club pose with their third-place float during the 2016 homecoming parade. (Submitted)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON CJONLINE

​
A fishing club at Seaman High School is beginning to gain traction, seeing an increase in student interest and more engagement under new leadership.

​
Seaman biology teacher Jessica Popescu, who oversees the fishing club, said the group had “flown under the radar” for the past couple of years, with no scheduled meetings or advertised events she could remember.
At the beginning of this school year, she said a group of boys she knew from coaching track and field approached her about being the new sponsor for the club after the previous sponsor retired, and they scrambled to get a booth together for the school’s annual Club Fair.

“We had 150 kids sign up at the fair, but approximately 50 regular members now,” she said.
Kody Orester, club president, has helped to revitalize the organization this year.

​
“Some of my friends and I really enjoy fishing and we did it all summer,” Orester said. “We thought it would be a good idea if we created a club at our high school and dedicated it to fishing. There was one last year, but the officers didn’t do anything with it and we wanted to. So we chose an awesome sponsor and we are planning on doing great things with it and getting kids outdoors, which unfortunately is becoming a rarity.”

Popescu said Erie Unified School District 101 superintendent Steve Woolf and KVOE radio host Phil Taunton have served as mentors for her personally in starting the program. Woolf is the organizer of WILD Kansas, a student organization that focuses on activities that promote the environment, conservation and outdoor activities.

​Taunton is a representative of the Emporia chapter of Fishing’s Future, a group that looks to reconnect kids with the outdoors.

“Steve, being in charge of WILD, has done some amazing outdoor activities with kids, and I really am looking forward to their summer event this year, as well as becoming more a part of WILD in the future,” Popescu said. “Phil has amazing contacts with people all over the state, and he has kept me updated on various events in the region.”

Woolf said the WILD program has multiple aspects to it in addition to fishing education for students, including hunting, trapping, gardening sustainable agriculture and camping.

“This is just another aspect of what we do,” Woolf said. “Jessica heard us speak to that last year and she just goes, ‘We gotta get that going.’ ”

The WILD program works with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and received a grant to help pay for equipment and cover other costs.

“We teach hunter’s safety, archery safety, fishing, trapping — all of the stuff that the Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism does — and they provide all of that stuff for free,” Woolf said.

Woolf said the WILD program will do whatever it can to help schools who want to join.

“I really appreciate what Jessica’s done,” said Woolf, who used to teach in the Seaman district. “I think, because Seaman’s set up with that wildlife area, they’re going to be able to do some really cool things.”

Popescu said the effort to start the club has mostly been from within the school, but in the future she would look to branch out and talk to other educators about fishing clubs across the state.

“It’s a little intimidating and a lot to be in charge of, but we just elected officers so I’m hoping that this delegation will really get the ball rolling,” Popescu said. “The kids have great ideas. Our vice president has already suggested that we teach little fishing tips during our upcoming meetings, such as the correct way to tie on a hook.”

Popescu said the response for the club from the Seaman community and among outdoors enthusiasts in Kansas has been great.

“Since starting the club, I have been extremely lucky to have the help of many individuals within the state that are passionate about the outdoors,” Popescu said. “I haven’t had to ask too many people for help, because so many have reached out to me on their own, from parents to professionals. I’m extremely grateful for this, and don’t think the club would be as successful without the support.”

So far, the club has designed its own T-shirts, chosen officer positions, organized two fishing trips to local ponds and received third place in the Seaman homecoming parade. Popescu said the club also is planning to attend a Fishing’s Future angler education certification class at Kansas State.

She said that in five years she would like to see an organized, end-of-the-year fishing trip take place at some place such as Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks.

“I have a lot of fishing experience on that lake, so that would be ideal,” Popescu said. “I think we are going to remain a club where we can just be outside, fish and learn some ecology while we are at it.

“We have little competitions on our own excursions for who can catch the most and/or biggest fish, but aside from that we would really need boats in order to become more competitive, and that isn’t something that is particularly easy to come by.”
​

For more about the WILD Kansas program, click here.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Josh Rouse is an outdoor enthusiast from Topeka, Kansas. He is the Outdoors Editor for The Topeka Capital-Journal.

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Archives

    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    March 2015
    October 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    August 2013
    April 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011

    Categories

    All
    Abu Garcia
    Alabama
    Alaska
    All American Catfish Tournaments
    All-American Catfish Tournaments
    Angler Feature
    Apps
    Aqua Vu
    Aqua-Vu
    Arbogast
    Archery
    Arkansas
    ATVs
    Audubon Society
    Backlashers Bass Club
    Badger
    Bald Eagles
    Barbel
    Bass
    Bassmaster
    Bass Pro Shops
    Bear
    Benelli
    Berkley
    Big Bucks
    Big Cats
    Big Game
    Big Horned Sheep
    Big-horned Sheep
    Bird Watching
    Bison
    Boar
    Boating
    Books
    Booyah
    Bosnia
    Bow Fishing
    Bow Hunting
    B&P Jighead
    Brandon Palaniuk
    Browning
    Bullfrogs
    Burbot
    Business
    Buzzbaits
    Cabela's
    Calendar
    California
    Camping
    Canada
    CarbonTV
    Carp
    Catfish
    Catfish Chasers
    Catfish Weekly
    Chubs
    College Fishing
    Colorado
    Connecticut
    Conservation
    Cougars
    Country Stampede
    Coyotes
    Cranes
    Crankbaits
    Crappie
    Crappie Masters
    Creeks
    Critters
    Culprit
    Cycling
    Daiwa
    Deer
    Dogs
    Doug Vahrenberg
    Doves
    Drum
    Ducks
    Ducks Unlimited
    Eagle Claw
    Education
    Elk
    Environment
    Europe
    Fall
    Fireworks
    Fishing
    Fishing's Future
    Fish Stories
    FleFly
    Fle Fly
    Fle-Fly
    Flint Hills Bass Association
    Florida
    FLW
    Fly Fishing
    Frogs
    Fur Harvesting
    Gander Mountain
    Gar
    Geese
    Georgia
    Government
    Great Plains Nature Center
    Grilling
    Gulf Of Mexico
    Guns
    Hawaii
    Health
    Heartland Bowhunter
    Heddon
    Henry Repeating Arms
    Heroes On The Water
    Hiking
    Humminbird
    Humor
    Hunters For Life
    Hunting
    Hunting Shows
    ICAST
    Ice Fishing
    Idaho
    Illinois
    In Fisherman
    In-Fisherman
    Insects
    Instagram
    Invasive Species
    Iowa
    Jackson Kayaks
    Joey Nania
    Kansas
    Kansas Crappie Club
    Kansas Crappie Trail
    Kansas Herpetological Society
    Kansas Wetlands Education Center
    Kayaking
    Kentucky Lake
    K State
    K-State
    Lake Of The Ozarks
    Lakes
    Lake Trout
    Lake Wheeler
    Lazy Ikes
    Lightning Photos
    Little Cleos
    Louisiana
    Lure Lock
    Lures
    Mackerel
    Mahi Mahi
    Mahi-Mahi
    Marcum
    Maryland
    Melvern Reservoir
    Memories
    Michigan
    Micro Fishing
    Micro-fishing
    Midwest Finesse
    Milford Nature Center
    Milford Reservoir
    Mille Lacs
    Minnesota
    Mississippi
    Missouri
    Montana
    Moose
    Mountain Lions
    Mr. Crappie
    Mushrooms
    Music
    Muskie
    Muzzleloaders
    Nace
    National Park Service
    Nature
    Nebraska
    Ned Kehde
    Ned Rig
    Neko Rig
    Nevada
    New Jersey
    News
    Newspapers
    New York
    Night Fishing
    Noodling
    North Carolina
    North Dakota
    Northern Pike
    NRA
    NWTF
    Ohio
    Oklahoma
    Old Reel Collectors Association
    Oregon
    Paddlefish
    Panfish
    Pennsylvania
    Pflueger
    Pheasants
    Pheasants Forever
    Pond Management
    Ponds
    Prairie Chickens
    Predators
    Pro Cure
    Pro-Cure
    Published
    Q&A
    Quail
    Quail Forever
    QUWF
    Rage Tail
    Ranger
    Rapala
    Reading
    Rebel Lures
    Records
    Redfish
    Reviews
    Rivers
    Roach
    Rose Kuli
    Safaris
    Safety
    Salmon
    Saltwater Fishing
    Sauger
    Saugeye
    Sharks
    Shimano
    Shotguns
    Slovenia
    Smallmouth Buffalo
    Smelt
    Snakes
    Snapper
    South Africa
    South America
    South Carolina
    South Dakota
    Species Feature
    Spiderwire
    Spring
    Spring Turkey
    SPRO
    Storm Lures
    Storms
    Sturgeon
    Sufix
    Summer
    Summertime
    Sutherlands
    Sweetwater TV
    Table Rock Lake
    Tackle
    Taxidermy
    Tennessee
    Terminator
    Texas
    Tightlines UV
    Toledo Bend
    Topeka
    Top Secret Jig Co.
    Topwater
    Tornado
    Tournament Fishing
    Trail Camera
    Trapping
    Trapshooting
    Trent Siegle
    Trilene
    Trout
    TTG Lures
    Turkey
    United States
    Upland Birds
    Varmint
    Veterans
    Vibe Kayaks
    Vibric
    Video Games
    Vintage Lures
    Virginia
    VMC
    Walleye
    Washburn
    Washburn Review
    Washington State
    Waterfowl
    Weather
    Westar Energy
    Westin Fishing
    West Virginia
    Wetlands
    White Bass
    Wild Game
    WILD Kansas
    Wilson Lake
    Winter
    Wiper
    Wisconsin
    Wyoming
    Yakima
    Youth
    YouTube
    YO ZURI
    YO-ZURI
    Zebco
    Z Man
    Z-Man
    Zoom

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly