More than 250 students compete in program’s third state championship
HAYS
— The third annual Kansas State Archery In the Schools (AIS)
Championship meet was held at Fort Hays State University on March 31,
and participation revealed that the program is growing dramatically in
popularity. Seven participating school districts (Anthony-Chaparral,
Clearwater, Healy, Jackson Heights, Neodesha, Otis-Bison, and Stockton),
plus the Chanute Christian Academy, entered 266 youngsters, including
60 high school, 114 middle school, and 92 elementary school students.
This compares to 246 participants in the second annual event last year.
The focus of the AIS program is to provide international-style target
archery training in grades 4-12 physical education classes. The Kansas
Archery in the Schools Program operates under the umbrella of the Kansas
Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) and the National
Archery in the Schools Program (NASP).
Started in Kentucky 13 years ago, Archery In the Schools came to Kansas
in 2006. Gary Keehn, of Soldier, serves as coordinator of the state
program. Keehn helps organize events, recruit instructors, set up
ranges, and conduct certification workshops for instructors, many of
whom are physical education teachers in elementary and secondary Kansas
schools. Instructors are trained primarily through summer workshops.
Working under Mike Rader, KDWPT wildlife education coordinator, Keehn
helps schools and other organizations start programs and obtain
equipment. With support from the archery industry, a $5,000 program
equipment kit can be purchased by schools for about $3,000. Any teacher
who completes a training session receives assistance towards the
purchase of a kit from KDWPT. Schools that host a basic instructor
training workshop receive additional assistance. The Kansas program
currently has about 200 schools involved.
Fort Hays State was the first university to establish a program, under
the direction of Dr. Joyce Ellis, assistant professor in the school's
Department of Health and Human Performance. For the third year in a row,
Ellis has also been the driving force behind the state championship
meet.
Because archery is not sanctioned by the Kansas State High School
Activities Association, some schools restrict money used to establish
programs or pay travel expenses for competitions. Schools with the
program hold fund raisers with the help of supporters, students, local
businesses, and community volunteers. Partial funding for equipment
comes from KDWPT and NASP. And this year, support came from Genesis Bows
and Morrell Targets.
Using stock, unmodified Genesis bows (their own or ones provided by the
tournament), students shot one practice round of five arrows and three
scoring rounds of five arrows each from both 10 meters and 15 meters — a
total of 30 scoring shots. Scoring rings on the target provided points
from 10 to zero. Team scores were the total of the team's highest 12
individual scores, with at least five archers of each gender per team.
Each participant received a medal. The overall highest male and female
scorers each received a new Genesis bow donated by NASP. Plaques donated
by KDWPT were awarded to the top three teams in each division and the
top three individual shooters. The top two teams and the top three
individuals in each division are eligible to participate in the 2012
NASP National Championships in Kentucky the second weekend of May.
The top scoring individual participants included the following, each receiving a Genesis bow:
- Top Male Overall — Brandon Williams, 9th-grader from Clearwater Middle School Blue; and
- Top Female Overall — Micaela Keehn — 11th-grader from Jackson Heights High School.
Jackson Heights High School and Clearwater dominated the individual high
school competition, taking home all of the top three plaques in the
high school division:
- First Place — Brandon Williams, 9th grade, Clearwater High School;
- Second Place — Jordan Serpan, 9th grade, Clearwater High School; and
- Third Place — Micaela Keehn, 11th grade, Jackson Heights.
Parity was the rule for the day in the middle school individual
competition, with students from three different schools nabbing the top
three plaques:
- First Place — Alexandrea Lear, 8th grade, Anthony Middle School;
- Second Place — Bradley Lightfoot, 7th grade, Otis-Bison Intermediate School; and
- Third Place — Darion Luckner, 7th grade, Clearwater Middle School White Team.
Individual elementary school plaques went to the following participants:
- First Place — Grant Ricky, 4th-grader, Clearwater Elementary Team Blue;
- Second Place — Michael Rowland, 6th-grader, Clearwater Elementary Team Blue; and
- Third Place — Kate Lears, 6th-grader, Jackson Heights Elementary School
The top three teams in each division also won plaques:
High School
- First Place —Clearwater High School;
- Second Place — Jackson Heights High School; and
- Third Place — Otis-Bison High School.
Middle School
- First Place — Clearwater Middle School Team Blue;
- Second Place — Anthony Middle School; and
- Third Place — Clearwater Middle School Team White.
Elementary School
- First Place — Clearwater Elementary School Team Blue;
- Second Place — Anthony Elementary School; and
- Third Place — Clearwater Elementary School Team White.
