Jackson Park fourth-grader Aumajuss McKee dumped “Breakfast,” “Lunch” and “Dinner” into Silverdale’s Clear Creek Tuesday morning.

It wasn’t the contents of his lunch box that fell in the water, but three juvenile chum salmon he had named.

McKee and 40 of his classmates released salmon, planted trees, tested water quality and handled water bugs all before noon Tuesday as part of the Salmon in the Classroom project.

The project, which for almost 20 years was hosted by the Kiwanis Club, has been handed over to volunteers with the Clear Creek Task Force, Kitsap Health District and Kitsap Public Utilities District. The project, which started Tuesday, will run through March 26 with students from throughout Central Kitsap participating in morning and afternoon sessions. Students from View Ridge Elementary school in Bremerton took part in Tuesday’s afternoon session.

For the students, a rainy day on the trail provided a break from hitting the books.

“It puts a visual on what we read about in the classroom,” said Dayle Crain, a fourth-grade teacher at Jackson Park.

The students will also visit the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma as part of their curriculum on the state’s history.

Some of the students say the outdoors experience rounds out a good education.

“I learn outside and inside,” said 9-year-old Jedediah Turull. “One day I want to be a genius.”

The trip to Clear Creek was the last piece of the cycle for the students who helped raise the fish.

“We’ve gone through the life cycle already,” said Wendy Saxon, another fourth grade teacher at Jackson Park.

Saxon picked up about 200 eggs from a North Kitsap hatchery and brought them to the classroom in December.

“We watched their progression as they hatch and grow,” said Crain.

Turull said that although his mom prepares fish for dinner, he appreciates the chance to help keep salmon alive and healthy in their environment.

“All animals in nature should have a chance to live,” Turull said.

When Saxon first started bringing her students to Clear Creek for the program nine years ago, the salmon release was the only thing for students to do. Now, there is a tree planting station, a place for students to learn about water quality and a chance to look at macro invertebrates, or small water bugs.

Saxon said a part of the focus is getting the students to participate in community projects early.

“This is their environment, this is their world,” she said.

A former student of Saxon told her that he still goes through the trail and finds the tree he planted six years ago, she said.

Nearly 60 trees, all donated by Clear Creek Nursery, were planted by the time students left for the day Tuesday, said Tex Lewis, co-chairman for the task force.

Lewis said getting the students involved is an investment in the future.

“We’ve always seen the trail as a community asset. We see the future of the environment is with the kids,” he said.