Sikeston Middle School, Missouri Department of Conservation team up for fifth-grade fishing event

Missouri Department of Conservation Agent Eric Heuring helps a Sikeston Middle School fifth grader bait her hook while fishing Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, at the Sikeston Recreation Complex Lake. For the second year, MDC has partnered with Sikeston Middle School to offer a fishing event to the school’s 250 fifth graders over the course of two days. (Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat)

SIKESTON — Sikeston Middle School’s 250 fifth graders enjoyed fishing over two days this week in their city’s lake. And for some of the youth, it was their first time fishing.

“This is the second year we’ve done this fishing event in partnership with the Sikeston Middle School,” said Scott County Conservation Agent Andrew Mothershead.

Mothershead said he was first approached about the partnership by Carrie Cookson, Sikeston Middle School dean of students, after he gave a presentation about the Sikeston Recreation Comple Lake and the Community Assistance Program, or CAP, during a civic club meeting over a year ago.

A Sikeston Middle School fifth grader casts his fishing pole Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, at the Sikeston Recreation Complex Lake. For the second year, MDC has partnered with Sikeston Middle School to offer a fishing event to the school’s 250 fifth graders over the course of two days. (Submitted Photo)

Mothershead and Cookson decided to have a fishing event for Sikeston Middle School’s fifth graders at the Complex Lake with the first one taking place in the fall of the 2023-2024 school year. On Tuesday, Oct. 1 and Wednesday, Oct. 2, the 2024-2025 Sikeston Middle School fifth graders enjoyed their field trip to the lake where the spent two hours fishing with each other and Missouri Department of Conservation agents and staff members.

“Over a two-day period of time, every fifth grader, with permission, comes out and we introduce them to fishing at their local, city lake and introduce them to a life activity and, hopefully, generate interest in the outdoors moving forward,” Mothershead said.

The goal is also to introduce the youth to the natural resources of the City of Sikesotn.

Sikeston Middle School fifth graders and Missouri Department of Conservation staff and agents pose Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, at the Sikeston Recreation Complex Lake. For the second year, MDC has partnered with Sikeston Middle School to offer a fishing event to the school’s 250 fifth graders over the course of two days. (Submitted Photo)

“Its been sucessful,” Mothershead said of the event. “The kids love it.”

Cookson agreed.

“Some of them have never been fishing before so it’s a good opportunity for everyone,” Cookson said.

Mothershead estimated over half of the students will raise their hands when asked if they’ve been fishing before.

“For many of them, it’s their first time they’ve fished in their lives,” he said. “But with everybody, the goal is to give them a positive experience at an early age.”

Mothershead said he and the MDC officials also enjoy participating in the event.

Before the children begin fishing, the MDC staff have a safety talk with the students about the conservation department, how to cast poles correctly and more. Staff and agents with the Missouri Department of Conservation bring the equipment and distribute everything to the students while also being there to help them as they need.

“My hope is,” Mothershead said, “as time goes on, if it’s a long-lasting educational effort, every kid in Sikeston Public Schools can say they were introduced to the local lake during their time going through school.”

The Complex Lake is owned by the City of Sikeston, but through CAP, Missouri Department of Conservation shares with the city the duties of managing the lake, Mothershead said.

“Even though the city owns the lake, we (MDC) have managment authority, but we share the cost with the city to stock the fish,” Mothershead said, adding MDC has similar agreements with Jackson, Perryville and Farmington.

The agreement between the city and MDC is a way to ensure the lake is utilizied, Mothershead said.

“I think Sikeston is seeing some positive returns since entering that partnership five years ago,” Mothershead said. “And I hope to expand to add more partnerships in the future.”