Hello fellow TFFers,

I have a chance to help with two problems of today. The first, many of you know about, is that the number of people hunting and fishing today is on the decline. The second, I’m sure you also know of is the trouble available for inner city kids to get into when they do not have enough positive things in their life. I have read stories on this forum about problems troubled youth have gotten into and some of them have even been mentioned by me.

As middle school teachers of 11-15 year-olds in a very high At Risk School, my brother-in-law (Mossman on this forum) and I are always sharing information about the outdoors with them as we teach and talk to our students. Since we both fish and hunt together we occasionally show them pictures of our fish caught, game camera pictures, etc. As you would expect, we get tons of questions about the outdoors from students whose only experience outdoors may be the P.E. field for an hour a day. Unfortunately, not enough of our students have role models to take them on these types of activities or those that do have role models really don’t have the knowledge of where to begin. These were things that I even took for granted as a kid growing up.

After many years, we finally have a rare opportunity to help at least with some of the problems our kids get into and get youngsters interested in outdoor activities as well. We plan to start an outdoor’s class for our students after school. Of course we are limited in what we can do with what we have, but we hope to, at a minimum, introduce our students to the outdoors and some of what it has to offer as of which many of you are already so much aware of.

Our plan is to teach the basics in: archery, compass navigation, backpacking, fishing, knot tying, fire building, outdoor cooking, animal identification/tracking, and plant and insect identification. Since this is new to us, it will be a “learn as you go” program for the students and us as well.

While Mossman and I would not claim to be experts, I hope we can pass on some of our knowledge to help future outdoorsman keep the sports we love alive for many years to come.

I hate to ask anyone for anything, just not the way I was raised, but with a limited budget at school right now, we do need help. If any of you have any of the following items laying around that you no longer use or maybe it needs a little work, we can put it to good use within a great cause. I’m no expert, but I can fix a few things. Even if you have rods and reels that may need a little work, broken eyelets, rusted up, etc.; we will take anything. Of course we would take new items as well. We are desperate.

Tackle boxes
Any Tackle (Especially hooks, bobbers, and line)
Rods
Reels (since they have never fished before, closed face “Zebco 33” types would probably
be the most versatile)
Backpacks
Pup Tents
Compasses
Camping Stoves
General camping equipment

I’ll be glad to pick up items around the Metroplex when possible; we are at school a lot so I can’t always get away on short notice.

Items can also be mailed to us at the following address:

Bowie Middle School
Attn: David Fontenot
600 E. Sixth Street
Irving, TX 75060

Again, this is our first year so all the kinks are a long ways from being worked out. We are talking to some organizations like the Dallas Safari Club to get advice. But I will listen to any suggestions that you all have.

Mods, I apologize if this is in the wrong place but I couldn’t figure out a more appropriate place to post it. Please move if necessary.

I’m also posting this in the THF as well.

Please feel free to email me or PM me if you have any quetions/concerns.

Thanks for anything you can do, even if it’s just praying this goes well for us and stays safe for all involved.


David Fontenot (cajundave)
Bowie Middle School
History Department Chair
davidkfontenot@gmail.com

A Nobel thing you are doing--I see what I can dig up.

Dave, let me do some digging, I have a couple of tackle boxes and some old 33's and maybe a rod or two lying about. The daughter's fiance lives up your way so maybe I can have her bring it up at Thanksgiving.

I also ran across this at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic while volunteering in the TPWD area. It is a pretty cool deal they offer families to introduce them to camping. Not sure if it would work for your kids, but might be an option.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1508870/texas_parks_and_wildlife_outdoor_family.html

Contact Parks and Wildlife ask about their youth programs and about other youth programs that are run by some of the big companies like Pure Fishing. Burkley use to have a program that I taught for 25 years in Odessa. It was scripted out word for word and was a great program on fishing. It involved station rotation which you as a teacher will know how important they are. Stations were: 2 games on fish idenification, knot tying, casting, lure idenification, videos station and anything else that you could come up with to put 6 to 8 kids at a station. You can build a great program with units around this concept.
Here is your money raiser. I got a guide on Lake Ivie to donate a trip. I gave the kids, which was 500 in Physical Ed. 25 tickets each to raffle off at $5 each. In a month we raised over $25,000 to fund the program. I gave prizes to the kids for selling the most tickets.
Good luck in your project.

PM sent

Thanks again to all that replied. I tried to PM everyone. Many of you opened doors I didn't even expect this early. Now I have to go back and annoy a lot of administrators till they give in. I'll have more info soon on some of your questions, but please, any donations would really be appreciated as of now.

There are some great people on this site!

Thanks, I really appreciate it! Any info like this is extremely helpful!

Cajun what you are doing is a very noble and I admire you. I sent your info to Allen Warren to see if he can help. He is a big promoter of outdoors in the classroom and he is always trying to get help to folks in need. lets see what he can do.

I am also going to see what I have and see how I can get it to you.

good luck and tight lines

pm sent

hey man give elm fork shooting range a call.they are always trying to help out youth

Thanks, the feedback is great!

I would have never thought of that, thanks for tip!

Great stuff, Dave!

If you would like free exposure on Youth Outdoors USA, consider it done. Just let me know...

Cool site Highcountry, is it yours?

Guys, I have been overwhelmed with all those wanting to help! It's really a great group of people on here.

Right now we are just trying to sort through all the offers and suggested groups. I think my thanksgiving break will involve many phone calls.

FYI on one thing we do have to do, as with anything associated with bringing in adults to work with kids, is have a safety background check on file. Unfortunately, we no longer live in a society where people always come into schools with the best intentions and it's THOSE people that cause another peice of paperwork for the rest of us.

Thanks again guys.

Yes, it's a labor of love that's in its infancy, but hopefully it'll help get kids back outside.

i had a class just like that back in middle school if im not mistaking i am pretty sure dallas safari either helo fund it or was just a sponser. i know they booked camping and fishing trips on weekends and during summer. i never had enough money to go on them. but i like what you are trying to do here and i wish you and your brother the best of luck. Im sure i got a few zebco reels and rods laying around and i can help out on some tackle too. i got a bulk pack of hooks that i never use anymore. ill look into it and send you a PM tomorrow.