Teach Kids to be Passionate About the Outdoors
Its important to be involved with kids and help them develop a passion for the outdoors. RCG ProStaff, Megan Thrash spends time with an outdoors class for dissecting rainbow trout.
Here’s the story...
I was lucky enough to teach an outdoor class for fish dissection at our Bear Creek Days for schools in southwest Montana. I loaded up 50 rainbow trout from the Ennis National Fish Hatchery and took them to our camp ground at the base of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness where several schools from the area had a field trip week. They learned about all the insides of a trout as well as the history of native trout and fish verses nonnative introduced fish of Montana. It was a very rewarding day to hang out with 8th graders who loved getting their hands dirty. But that isn’t what completely set apart that day from any other.
I think I was meant to be there that day. A girl showed trouble with handling a fish and asked to sit down because she was feeling sick. After I spent time with the other girls dissecting, I sat down with this 14 year old. She shared with me that she lost her older brother just weeks prior to a car wreck. I asked about details as she cried, and I was too familiar with the feelings she shared with me. I lost a boyfriend to a car wreck four years ago. Because I went through such a hard thing as losing someone, I was able to relate and connect with her. I felt so blessed to share with her the feelings she would feel. I was able to comfort her and tell her to cry and talk about it if she wants, because that’s what helped me. I was able to share that the pain will get better with time, but will never go away. I was able to tell her that he is looking down and smiling on her, in whatever she takes happiness in. She was beginning to have a passion for the outdoors because he was teaching her all about fishing and hunting, and that is what my late boyfriend had done for meas well. He gave wind to the spark that I had inside of me, and I told her that if she has that spark, to try to let his memory turn that spark to a flame that couldn’t be stopped, if that’s what she wanted.
That day was fantastic in itself, but being able to connect with such a young soul, I felt that that day will be one of the highlights of my life. It is so important to instill the passion for the outdoors in our future generation, so that they can enjoy what has been preserved for them and is meant to be enjoyed.
About the Author:
Megan Thrash
Connect with her on Facebook and Instagram
ReelCamo Girl Prostaff
Barn Staff at Bridger Canyon Stallion Station
Future Fisheries Technician at U.S. Forest Service: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
Former Wildlife Technician at Madison Ranger District
Former Animal health at Murdoch's Ranch & Home Supply
Former Range Technician at
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ReelCamo Girl is a lifestyle brand focused on ladies who love the outdoors.There is a growing need for a place for women to share their outdoor experiences, as well as an interest in clean eating and self-sufficiency. Through our website and social media networks, we offer a safe place where the ladies can share their pictures, stories, wild game and fish recipes, and news articles about conservation and hunting perspectives.
ReelCamo girls are strong, capable, kind, compassionate, nature & country-loving individuals. We encourage responsible and ethical hunting. We care about the land and wildlife management and about long term sustainability. We hunt, fish, dive, shoot and hike…for peace of mind, happiness, pure clean protein & connection to the outdoors. ReelCamoGirls can shoot a gun, draw a bow, track an animal, get CAMOed up, bait a hook, clean a fish and still be feminine.