West Virginia Wildlife from Eyewitness News

More Archery In The Schools

Bow season opens in a week and a half and interest in archery is at an all time high. That's thanks in part to the Division of Natural Resources Archery in the Schools program. As Patrick McMurtry explains, every kid in the state can have the chance to pick up a bow and a lifetime hobby.

October 5, 2005
Reporter: Patrick McMurtry
Videographer: Brad Rice

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These kids from the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind are getting their first shot at archery.

And like anyone else their first day with a bow, it can be difficult for them to get the hang of it.
But the archery in the schools program gets kids past the hard part and into the bullseye in no time.

Students love the program, but it's not free. The National Wild Turkey Federation picked up the tab for these special kids.

Allison Kotowski/National Wild Turkey Federation says:
"We want to spread this program into more schools and this is a very special opportunity to show people that children with disabilities are just as capable of participating in archery as able bodied children."

"This is something they can do at an even playing field. They have the same facilities, the same instruction and they have the same equipment to learn the sport."

And these middle and high school students learn quickly.

All are from West Virginia and that's where the local chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation really help. These kids they're helping are children of their neighbors and friends.
Bob Farkasovski/National Wild Turkey Federation says:
"Most of the chapters are very individual with the youth trying to get the kids interested in hunting and the great outdoors. This day and age, most of the kids stay inside on the internet or computer or tv so that's kind of our outreach program with the kids."

"In WV we have 28 local chapters and they get this type of involvement. We do fundraisers which in turn gives us a chance to get with the DNR with research and the Archery in the Schools program to the different high schools in the area."

Like the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind where you can see the excitement on the faces of all these students. And the results of individual instruction with a bow and arrow.