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National Archery in the Schools Program Announces 2011-12 School Equipment Grants Program
By: Roy Grimes, President NASP

National Archery in the Schools Program

USA --(Ammoland.com)- The Easton Foundations (EF) have again partnered with the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) to provide $300,000 in grant assistance for schools to enroll in this exciting program.

Over the next few months, each of the 47 NASP states, 5 Provinces, and Washington DC will be allocated $6,000.

Last school year was the first time NASP and EF partnered to provide these equipment grants.

While the grants were intended to assist 300 schools, 517 new NASP schools actually received grants.

Once educators at a prospect school learn about NASP, the next biggest obstacle to bringing archery instruction to their students is the purchase of the archery equipment kit. Thanks to very cooperative pricing by NASP suppliers, the equipment kit costs a school far less than its retail value. Even so, it costs about $3,000 to outfit a typical Physical Education archery class of 24-36 students. NASP’s equipment specifications are highly standardized in every school world-wide. Each school uses the same bow and arrow. The Genesis by Mathews Archery is a high quality universal-fit compound bow designed for sharing among several student archers. The Genesis arrow was specifically designed by Easton Technical Products to be safe, durable, and effective for the archery student.

This principle of every student using the same equipment in archery class makes certain the focus of student learning is on mastering the process of safe and proper shooting. If different types of equipment were used the teacher’s role would be more complicated, NASP®’s perfect safety record could be impacted, and the student’s mastery of how to shoot could be short-circuited.

Most of the more than 8,800 schools that have joined the program to date have been able to purchase their equipment with little help from outside sources. However, many schools are unable to raise this money without assistance. Some schools raise money locally among civic organizations, conservation clubs or chapters of the National Wild Turkey Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, or Safari Club International. Innovative teachers enlist the aid of parents to hold fund raising events to raise money for equipment. In many NASP jurisdictions the fish and wildlife conservation agency provides grants for the purchase of school archery equipment kit.

To help alleviate financial barriers we at NASP are excited about the generosity of the Easton Foundations (EF). EF is a non-profit foundation established by James L. Easton for the purpose of training and developing a pool of world class archers able to compete at the highest levels. The strategy used to accomplish the Foundation’s purpose is the creation or support of programs to develop archers at many levels in order to strengthen and deepen the available talent pool. “The Easton Foundations have supported NASP Schools for a number of years with equipment grants directly to the schools, support of the NASP School Equipment Grant Program allows us to assist more schools and leverage the great work of the NASP organization and State Coordinators”, commented Greg Easton from the Easton Foundations. For more about the Easton Foundations visit www.eastonfoundations.org

This grant offer is popular with coordinators who run NASP in their respective states.

Tim Beck, the Indiana DNR NASP Coordinator reports, “These equipment grants have allowed many Indiana schools to join and participate in this unique and engaging program. There is no doubt, without this type of boost some of our students would not be able to join the fun.” Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission’s Steve Robbins tells us, “Our agency provides a limited number of grants to start new NASP schools. These EF and NASP grants help even more private and public schools join Florida’s NASP effort. We have teachers waiting and hoping the grant will be renewed this year.”

The National Archery in the Schools Program is in its 10th year. If you would like to learn more about NASP and how to help our nonprofit foundation bring the program to more students please check us out at: at: www.archeryintheschools.org or www.nasparchery.com

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Michigan Schools Compete at the Archery in the Schools Program National Tournament

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Nearly 500 schools in Michigan participate in the DNR National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP).

This in-school target archery program is geared toward students in 4th thru 12th grade who take physical education. Students who attend a NASP School are eligible to compete in Michigan’s NASP state tournament each spring. For those who excel at the State Tournament, qualification to participate at the NASP National Tournament is a great reward.

The 2011 NASP national tournament was held May 13-14 in Louisville, Kentucky. Nearly 7,000 archers from 34 states registered to compete at the national tournament. Among those registered were 145 students, representing six teams from Michigan.

Shelby Simonds, 11th grader from Hartland Middle School placed 5th overall in the High School female division after winning a tie breaking shoot off. Simonds, whose score was 290 out of 300, received a medal for her accomplishment and placed first overall among all 11th grade female archers. Steven Schram, 9th grader from Bark River Harris, placed in the top 20 among all male archers with a score of 291 out of 300.

Hartland Elementary, Middle and High School teams performed strongly, placing in the top 20 for their divisions respectively. Other teams competing in the tournament from Michigan include: Gaylord St. Mary Cathedral, Northwoods Christian Homeschool and Laker School.

The DNR is currently offering archery equipment grants and free archery instructor certification training to schools, both public and private, that enroll in the Archery in the Schools program. For more information, contact Mary Emmons at 517-241-9477; e-mail emmonsm@michigan.gov , or visit the DNR Archery website at www.michigan.gov/archery.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations.

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