Sanford Middle School's brand-new Fishing Club has wrapped up a successful inaugural season as the school year came to a close. The student-initiated club attracted more than 25 participants from fifth through eighth grade during its first run.
Social Worker Brent Coleman helped launch the club after a sixth-grade student he was working with expressed interest in fishing. The student wasn't connecting with traditional sports or existing clubs, but when he mentioned wishing the school had a fishing club, Coleman saw an opportunity.
"He came up with the idea. He says, 'I wish there was like a fishing club,'" Coleman recalled. "And I said, 'Well, there can be.' You know, not just adults, but students can create a club."
Together, they spent months designing the club from the ground up, establishing safety guidelines for off-campus activities.
The planning paid off when the club launched this spring. What made the program truly special was the incredible community support it received. The Sanford Police Department stepped up in a big way, purchasing individual fishing poles for each member to keep permanently and donating additional equipment. School Resource Officer Joe Jourdain from the department even volunteered as a club facilitator.
The club serves multiple purposes beyond fishing instruction. Students with prior fishing experience are encouraged to mentor newcomers, creating leadership opportunities across grade levels. "The kids who know how to fish, we're asking them to use their leadership skills to teach and help us help the kids," Coleman explained. "It's really going to build connection and embrace their leadership skills."