The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) will host its Eighth Annual West Virginia Archery in the Schools (AIS) Program State Tournament at the Charleston Civic Center on Saturday, March 23, according to Krista Snodgrass, Program Coordinator. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by an awards ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Students from the following schools have qualified to participate in this year’s tournament:
Beckley-Stratton Middle Clendenin Elementary Ripley High
Beth Haven Christian Elkview Middle Shady Spring High
Buckhannon-Upshur Middle Herbert Hoover High Shady Spring Middle
Buckhannon-Upshur High John Marshall High Sherman Elementary
Buffalo Elementary Man Middle Sherrard Middle
Cabell Midland High Moundsville Middle Summers County High
Cameron Middle Peterstown Middle Summersville Elementary
Cameron High Pickens School Winfield Middle
Chesapeake Elementary Ripley Middle WV School for the Deaf
“We at the DNR are very encouraged by the success of the AIS Program and the interest in the State Tournament,” said Snodgrass. “Because of the continued growth in the tournament, this year students were required to qualify through a virtual tournament, where we had 858 participants, truly making this year’s tournament the best of the best.”
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.
“A lot of work has gone into the planning of this year’s event, but none of this would have been possible without the financial and volunteer assistance from wildlife and educational organizations. In fact, because of the success this program has had with our youth, Toyota has become our newest corporate sponsor and will have a presence at this year’s event.”
Everyone is encouraged to come out and watch some of the best student archers in the state compete for top honors. Admission fee 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.
