Cheboygan students vote on name for classroom sturgeon

The votes are in — the school’s new lake sturgeon has been named Cosmic.

Other potential names included Freckle, Tide Pool, Galaxy, Sturgie and Dapple, but Cosmic won by nine votes, with 27% of the total vote. About half the school voted with 267 submissions.

Ann Douglas is a teacher at the school and oversees the Sturgeon in the Classroom program. She said by having students vote, the sturgeon belongs to everyone.

“It gives them ownership of the sturgeon,” Mrs. Douglas said. “They can’t just say ‘it’s Mrs. Douglas’ sturgeon [because] she named it.’”

Ann Douglas

Sturgeon are a threatened species in Michigan. Douglas said the goal of the program is to teach students about conservation.

“You need that giant, keystone species to be doing well - and that’s your future,” Douglas said.

Students are responsible for feeding and maintaining the tank's water quality. Cosmic will grow to be 13-20 inches at the school before he’s released in Black River next May.

Cosmic is the school’s 11th sturgeon. Previous names for the school sturgeon included Chief - the school's mascot's name - Bart Swimpson and Gillbert.

This story was written in collaboration with students from the Cheboygan Middle School through the Cheboygan School Chronicle. Contributing writers include Lily, Jaidyn, Genavieve, Teigen, London, Natalie and Adam.

The Cheboygan School Chronicle is a Report for America service project, organized and led by WCMU's Teresa Homsi. The Chronicle publishes print editions for the Cheboygan Middle School. For past coverage, see the Chronicle's sea lamprey reporting from last spring.