News Release
NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
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Contact: NCR Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On a warm spring morning at Fletchers Cove, just a few miles from the heart of downtown Washington, D.C., a group of seventh graders stepped off a bus and into a new experience— one that combined nature, history, and the thrill of reeling in their first fish.
The event, held Tuesday in celebration of Earth Day, brought about 20 students from Washington Global Public Charter School (WGPCS) to Fletchers Cove, within Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, for a day of hands-on outdoor learning. Hosted by the National Park Service in partnership with Friends of Fletchers Cove, the event coincided with the peak of the annual shad run on the Potomac River.
“This is one of the best resources for outdoor recreation right here in our city,” said Robert Catalanotto, executive director of Friends of Fletchers Cove. “There are beautiful national parks all over our great country, but not many are this accessible to urban communities. That’s what makes this place so special.”
For Gabby Bilotta, a native Washingtonian and board member of the Friends of Fletchers Cove, the day was deeply personal. She has spent countless hours since her childhood on the river rowing and casting lines alongside her father, she said.
“This place is magical. Every kid deserves to visit.”
Over the course of the day, students rotated through casting practice stations, learned about aquatic ecosystems, and then boarded boats with experienced guides for their first shad fishing trip. Organizers ensured every child had a life jacket, sunglasses, and a lunch donated by a local sandwich shop.
Twelve-year-old Kenard Brisbon, a WGPCS student, was initially hesitant. “I really didn’t like the bugs,” he admitted with a laugh. But by the end of the event, he had a different outlook.
“It’s amazing to think about all the obstacles the shad have to go through just to get to the ocean,” he said, referencing an obstacle course and simulation game that showed how pollution, dams, and overfishing impact fish survival. “I didn’t know there was a place so close to school where you can go fishing and canoeing. I want to come back.”
Educators and environmental advocates hope experiences like this will spark a deeper connection between children and nature.
“When kids feel the mud, cast a line, or spot a fish for the first time, in real life, and not just in a textbook, it lights something up in them,” said NPS Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Ranger Christal Tongish, a former middle school teacher who helped lead the day’s activities.
NPS Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Ranger Nicolette Talley agreed. “Once kids experience the outdoors, they stop being afraid of it. They’ve sneezed because of a tree, slipped on the rocks, accidentally eaten some dirt and they survived— and they want to do it again. Programs like these are part environmental education, part community building, and all heart.”
“This is what inspiring stewardship in children looks like,” NPS Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail Park Guide Nicole Phillips said. “It starts with one great day outdoors.”
Last updated: April 23, 2025