3/16/2011
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) will host its sixth annual West Virginia Archery in the Schools (AIS) Program State Tournament at the Huntington Veterans Memorial Field House on Saturday, March 26, according to Scott Warner, Program Coordinator. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by an awards ceremony at 4 p.m.
“Since implementing the program in 2004, there has been a tremendous amount of interest from schools around the state,” said Warner. “From just a handful of schools the first year, we now have nearly 250 participating, reaching more than 50,000 students from around the state. Because of this success, we have been able to host five state tournaments where more than 2,500 students have participated and hundreds have qualified to represent West Virginia at National Tournaments held each year in Louisville, Kentucky.”
This year’s tournament will be the largest indoor youth archery tournament ever held in West Virginia with 619 students from 60 divisional teams, representing the following 46 schools:
Beckley-Stratton Middle
Buckhannon Upshur Middle
Buckhannon Upshur High
Buffalo Elementary
Cabell Midland High
Cameron Middle
Cameron High
Chapmanville Middle
Chapmanville Regional High
Chesapeake Elementary
Clendenin Elementary
Crescent Elementary
East Hardy Middle
East Hardy High
Elkview Middle
Fayetteville High
Guyan Valley Middle
Heritage Christian
Hurricane High
John Marshall High
Kenna Elementary
Lincoln County High
Meadow Bridge Elementary
Moundsville Middle
Mountain View Christian
New Life Christian
Nicholas County High
Parkersburg South High
Ripley Middle
Ripley High
Scott High
Shady Spring High
Shady Spring Middle
Sherman Elementary
Sherrard Middle
Sissonville Middle
South Charleston High
South Harrison High
Summers County High
Summersville Elementary
Summersville Middle
Truthway Christian Academy
Tucker County High
WV School for the Blind
WV School for the Deaf
Winfield Elementary
“We at the DNR are encouraged by the success of the Archery in the Schools Program,” Warner said. “The program provides students an exciting activity, giving them a life-skill and possibly leading to future indoor or outdoor archery endeavors.”
The DNR also recognizes the contributions of several wildlife and archery organizations and a host of volunteers and interested parents. Everyone is encouraged to come out and see how successful this tournament, and the Archery in the Schools Program, have become.
Admission fee to the Field House to watch the tournament is $5 for adults (18 and older) and $3 for children (6-17 years old). Children under 6 years of age get in free.
Tournament competition is open only to schools that have received the DNR-sponsored AIS training. For more information on the WV Archery in the Schools Program or to attend the next training, visit the DNR website at
www.wvdnr.gov/archery.
Contact Information
Scott Warner, Wildlife Resources Section
304-558-2771
dnr.wildlife@wv.gov