Person kneeling over a shallow pool, their hands in the water

Snapshot: Yancey and Mitchell County, N.C. Students Explore Local Streams

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Toes in the Toe Event Gets Area Fifth-Grade Students In the Water

Gary Peeples

September 28, 2023

Updated: July 10, 2026

Since 2009, barring a pandemic interruption, Yancey County, N.C. fifth-grade students have come out to the South Toe River to learn about the river from experts and personal exploration. In 2010, the opportunity was expanded to neighboring Mitchell County, where students have traditionally visited the North Toe River.

Two people standing on a black top holding signs, one of which reads Brookies — High school students in Yancey County, N.C. wait for elementary-school students to arrive so they can lead them through the Toes in the Toe education stations.

Dubbed “Toes in the Toe” after the names of the rivers, the event was the brainchild of Service staff and local residents looking to connect area students with streams in their community, which are home to the endangered Appalachian elktoe mussel and the Eastern hellbender, an aquatic salamander currently under consideration for Endangered Species Act protections.

Several kids running toward a shallow river, some holding nets — Yancey County, N.C. students head to the South Toe River to collect aquatic invertebrates.

Students spend the day rotating through educational stations that explore different facets of streams, stream life, and local agriculture. Given the streams’ importance for the Appalachian elktoe mussel, the Service has traditionally staffed a station focused on aquatic invertebrates, having students collect and identify invertebrates, then use that information to draw a basic conclusion about stream health. Service staff also assist with the fish station, working with students to collect and identify fish and discuss what the fishes collected say about stream health.

Trio of kids standing in a stream around a small kick net — Mitchell County, N.C. students search for aquatic invertebrates in Cane Creek as part of the 2023 Toes in the Toe educational event.

For the first time, the Mitchell County event was moved from the North Toe River to tributary streams close enough to local elementary schools to allow students to walk to the event, cutting out the need for bus transportation.

People circled around a small net, pulling insects from the net. One person holding a bowl with a crayfish in it. — Yancey County, N.C. fifth-grade students pull aquatic invertebrates from a kick net.

Two people standing in a shallow river holding a seine — Jay Mays and Andrew Henderson collect fish in Yancey County N.C.'s South Toe River to share with students as part of the 2023 Toes in the Toe educational event.

Three adults hold a kick seine as students pull fish from it. — Andrew Henderson, Jeff Quast, and Jason Mays collect fish to share with Yancey County, N.C. fifth-grade students as part of the 2023 Toes in the Toe educational event.

One person leaning over a kick seine, pulling aquatic insects from it — Mark Endries helps Yancey County, N.C. fifth-grade students pull aquatic insects from a kick seine as part of the 2023 Toes in the Toe educational event.

People gathered around a table covered with trays holding aquatic invertebrates — Byron Hamstead helps Yancey County, N.C. students identify aquatic invertebrates at the 2023 Toes in the Toe educational event on the South Toe River.

Students standing in a line behind a school bus — Yancey County, N.C. students wait to board their bus and return to school at the end of the 2023 Toes in the Toe educational event.

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