Other Oakes News

[Chuck Pollet]

The Oakes chapter is just getting back from a break and starting a new semester with dozens of new students joining the school. There is not much yet to report that is happening in the school since we just started today, but we have lots of big plans in the works. So I thought I would share another analogy between cichlids and alternative high school students.

I went and did the walk through at the Denver Downtown Aquarium. I hadn’t been there in awhile and didn’t expect to see the African rift lake display that I ended up finding there. I enjoyed seeing the mbuna and noticed a particularly aggressive and beautiful trevassae. I was somewhat disappointed that this display was very small compared to others around it though. As I walked on and was looking at several displays full of large piranha, I had to smile as I noticed the multiplying trevassae invading all the subsequent displays. They must have gotten through the filters as fry and grown up to actually be chasing the piranhas that were easily ten times their size. The little trevassae were so much more beautiful, intelligent, and ambitious to me than the much better known piranhas. When kids go to that aquarium I can just imagine how excited they must be to see the piranhas, but I wonder how many notice the trevassae in the wrong display and say “Wow, I wonder what that fish is?” This is somewhat like an Oakes graduation. Members of the community often look in and marvel at the underdogs that ended up being much more beautiful, intelligent, and ambitious as they succeeded in pursuing their education against most odds. Some make the students feel like they don’t belong in our “display” society, but I love it when I see them beat the odds and just get involved everywhere! I am energized to start a new semester and see how many more students get bit by the “fish bug.”

[Jake Kissinger]

Great analogy You sure can relate school to fish very well.

[Chuck Vasquez]

i dont know why but it always makes me laugh when i read these.

[Chuck Pollet]

Thanks guys! I love how you are both getting involved in the forums too! Nice!

[Chuck Pollet]

Hey the Oakes crew has been busy lately. We have been fortunate to upgrade many of our tanks recently to bigger and better ones. This has created a ton of work though and we have had several great students step up to help with the demand. Chuck Vasquez, Adam Delohery, Ben Cohen, and Eddie Nelson have done an excellent job in being available to help with the school projects and also assist Bob Grauer with his projects in the larger club’s interests as well. They have been earning the school’s “fish dollars” that have allowed them to purchase tanks in an action style that we are upgrading from. Our mini-auctions have been a huge success at the school with masses of students being involved. I hope everyone finds the new young faces a helpful and positive presence and worth the greater club’s sponsorship. We appreciate it!

[Candace Mock]

O man! my Pelvicachromis taeniatus nigerian red female as murdered. I didnt een seeit coming they were so mellow around each other. Any one know where to get him another mistress. I never go them to spawn, i wonder what i should be doing difffrent?

[Chuck Pollet]

You know, sometimes you are just going to have casualties. If they are pairing off, that could account for increased aggression. Make sure you have lots of rocks and plenty of fish to share the agression. Unless a pair is successfully forming... Then you may want to abandon ship with the rest of the fish. ha ha.

[Chuck Pollet]

Congratulations to this year's chapter officers!

President - Candace Mock
Vice President - Blake Lobato
Tank Master - Larry Koehler
Public Relations and Photographer - Chuck Vasquez
Sergent at Arms / Security - TJ Reynolds

Members at large: Kyle Harvey, Bryan Rubin, and Gerald Stewart