Dear Homeschool Coordinator:


The Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education (CARE) program has been operating through the CT Department of Environmental Protection for the last 23 years. We are in the business of helping create stewards to enjoy and protect Connecticut’s environment. We believe that introducing families to the great outdoors through Family Fishing Courses is a great way to do this. We’ve taught 150,000 students to date.

While contributing to our students’ understanding of human effect on the environment, we also help them develop basic fishing skills. We promote experiential learning with a comprehensive package of activities and information on water, fish and fishing. Families are a preferred audience, specifically those that are available for weekday field trips. For these reasons, families in groups affiliated with your Network seem like a good fit.

The CARE program will provide participating families with FREE curriculum materials to use at home. Families work at their own pace, and upon completion join us for a half-day at our education center in Killingworth. We will offer additional hands on training and take them fishing on site.

From each participating family, we expect them:

1) to insure that at least one adult obtains a valid CT Fishing License.

2) to have that adult fish alongside and assist the children while angling in our pond.

From each group we offer our services to, we require a group coordinator to:

1) register and gather contact information for families that we will make free curriculum materials available to.

2) schedule groups of 20 people for a field trip to our education center and pond.

A course agenda is attached for your review. You may also visit the CARE webpage at:
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2222&q=320736&depNav_GID=1630

We believe that the CARE program would be of value to families in your organization. If you agree, we would appreciate your advice. We are in the process of scheduling autumn field trip opportunities. Please call me at 860-663-1656 at your earliest convenience to discuss how you think we may best proceed from here.

Thank you,

Thomas E. Bourret
Tom Bourret
Assistant CARE Coordinator