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RALEIGH, N.C. – After a successful pilot phase in North Carolina, the National Archery in the Schools Program is now being expanded statewide.
The program is being offered through physical education classes for grades 4-12 in public schools. Students aim at bulls-eye targets in a gym, with special backdrops and safety restraints, in Olympics-style archery.
“Students maintain an interest because archery is exciting and fun,” said Travis Casper with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, and the National Archery in the Schools coordinator for North Carolina. “Teachers like it because it builds math skills, teaches history and culture, stresses responsibility and encourages social interaction.”
The National Archery in the Schools Program is based on a safety curriculum, with adjustable equipment that allows students in wheelchairs to participate alongside athletes, and puts boys and girls of varying physiques on an equal playing field.
“The archery program, as a part of the regular physical education curriculum here, has had a huge impact,” said Dave Edwards, coach and physical fitness instructor at Gates County High School, one of the first schools involved in the program in North Carolina. “It gives a student who may not be a standout on a varsity sports teams the chance to take pride in themselves and in their school.”
To learn about getting the National Archery in the Schools Program for your school, call (919) 707-0337 for more information.
