West Virginia Wildlife from Eyewitness News

Archery in Schools

Kanawha County schools hits the target

September 16, 2009
Reporter: Patrick McMurtry
Videographer: Brad Rice

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When the Department of Natural Resources started the archery in the schools program, they knew it was going to be a big success.
Five years later nearly 200 schools
from around the state have implemented the program. Now students from every school in Kanawha County can get involved.

Becky Meyers, a Capitol High school Physical Education Teacher says it all began from a newspaper article.
"Dr. Daniel from Kanawha County schools saw the county was not involved in the archery and I think it really kind of aggravated her that all the schools around were involved and the county wasn't willing to get involved and I think that initiated the ball rolling."

Becky submitted a grant application, and before long, the money was there.

Clinton Giles is the principal at Capital and he says the grant was significant.
"Approximately $17,000 went to buy the equipment, the bows, the targets, the other things that go along with the program, that's a significant investment, especially for physical education, we appreciate that greatly."

While this grant was requested out of Capitol High School, this bought a lot of equipment, enough for every school in the county to get involved.

"Through the county, we purchased 84 bows and we also have the arrows, each school will receive the safety curtain.
Also, we have the arm guards for kids who have the string hit the arm, we have the guards here as well. Every school that has the training can get started." says Meyers.

That effectively means the Archery in the Schools program is now truly statewide, quite an accomplishment for something that was just an idea five short years ago.