CTU STREAM Girls Camp with Girl Scouts of Colorado

What is STREAM Girls?
STREAM Girls is Trout Unlimited’s youth education program that builds on STEM learning by adding recreation and art—turning STEM into “STREAM.” The program helps young people explore their local watersheds by investigating streams, studying aquatic insects and fish, and developing a deeper awareness of river conservation. Through hands-on experiences as scientists, artists, and anglers, participants build a personal connection to their home waters.

Outdoor Adventure Weekend at Sky High Ranch
From April 11–13, 2025, Colorado Trout Unlimited’s Headwaters Youth staff—Natalie Flowers (Director of Education) and Cyndy Scholz (Colorado STREAM Programs Coordinator)—teamed up with the Girl Scouts of Colorado to bring the STREAM Girls experience to their Outdoor Adventure Camp at Sky High Ranch in Woodland Park.

The weekend began with a STREAM Girls training for about a dozen adult volunteers, including Girl Scout troop leaders and members of the Pikes Peak Chapter of Trout Unlimited (PPCTU). Volunteers practiced sampling macroinvertebrates, created insect replicas in a “Build-a-Bug” craft, and learned games like the Trout Survival Game—activities they can now take back to their troops.

When the Girl Scouts arrived Friday evening, they kicked things off with icebreakers and a creative cookie-decorating session—designing and naming their own fish-shaped treats.

On Saturday, everyone hiked to a small stream on the property to collect and observe aquatic insects. Back at the lodge, the Girl Scouts learned to tie a caddis fly, a staple in any angler’s fly box.

In the afternoon, the group headed to nearby Manitou Lake for casting practice and fly fishing—and several girls caught their first trout!

It was a joy to watch the Girl Scouts and CTU volunteers fully engaged in each activity, learning together, asking questions, and gaining confidence in both science and the outdoors.

CTU is excited to host more STREAM Girls and youth-focused events across Colorado in 2025 and beyond. We’re expanding to reach youth of all ages—and we’d love for you to join us in inspiring the next generation of river stewards.

Stream Monitoring: What's New?

A note from National TU Staffer, Kurt Fesenmyer: 

"One great way to take the pulse of your local river is by monitoring stream temperatures. Inexpensive data loggers offer the opportunity to record water temperatures every hour for several years, providing easy access to important information on seasonal patterns, short-term trends, and the impacts of restoration projects or other activities in a watershed.

TU’s Science Team has spent the past few months test driving a new data logger for monitoring stream temperatures. We’re happy to report that the new loggers work very well and should make monitoring your local stream even easier. The new loggers — the Onset TidbiT MX series — are the latest iteration of the reliable Tidbit product line. We are recommending the Tidbit MX2203, which cost just over $100 each.

The new model includes several features that will prove very useful for long-term stream temperature monitoring—they have a four-year battery life under normal conditions and a replaceable battery; they can be launched and their data downloaded using a Bluetooth connection and the free Onset HOBOmobile app; and they have a ‘water detect’ feature that can be used for monitoring stream drying and patterns of intermittency. For more information about the loggers, including basic instructions on calibrating, setting up, and launching loggers, as well as details on how to receive a discount Onset is kindly offering TU volunteers, check out the newly updated Version 3 of TU’s Stream Temperature Monitoring handbook.

The handbook contains some basic guidance on "Why," "Where," and "When" to monitor and is a great starting place for chapters thinking about stream temperature monitoring. Additional resources are available on TU’s stream temperature monitoring resources webpage."

If you are interesting in citizen science opportunities in Colorado. Contact Grassroots Coordinator Dan Omasta, DOmasta@tu.org