Little Rock, Arkansas – Eleven schools throughout the state are now part of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s well-liked Archery in the Schools initiative.
Targets and other archery supplies were delivered to each school in December 2024. Three schools received equipment to conduct state qualifiers for 3D archery contests, while eight schools received equipment to assist in hosting Olympic-style bull’s-eye archery games.
The AGFC’s Recreational Shooting Division Chief, Jose Jimenez, stated, “We delivered six 3D targets shaped like game animals and target stands to the schools on the 3D list, as well as 25 targets, 200 arrows, and three 50-foot arrow-stopping curtains to each school on the bull’s-eye list.” “The schools that were given the 3D archery equipment demonstrated a strong commitment to growing their programs and giving their students—and all AIS students—more opportunities.”
The Foundation provided grants for the $33,335 total investment.
Michelle Alverio, a math teacher at Bryant Middle School who teaches eighth grade, said the new targets arrived right before their tournament.
Alverio clarified, “We utilized the bull’s-eye equipment for our ‘Reindeer Classic’ tournament in December after receiving it.” Approximately 600 archers from throughout the state participated in the shooting. We are also keeping the curtains and targets for our tournaments the following year.
All three program divisions—elementary, junior high, and senior high—will take advantage of the new equipment provided by the Waldron School District.
Alisha Moad, the media specialist for Waldron Middle and the coach for Waldron Elementary archery, stated that “archery not only fosters discipline and focus but also teamwork and sportsmanship among our students.” Helping to organize a state qualifying tournament will, in my opinion, benefit our students by fostering a feeling of pride in themselves, our team, and our school while also promoting responsibility.
Eight state qualifiers for 3D archery events and 25 state qualifiers for bull’s-eye archery competitions were planned at schools throughout the state for the 2024–25 competition season.
“State qualifiers have been available since October, and teachers have been working with students since the start of the school year,” stated Aimee Swaim, AGFC’s Archery in the Schools Program Coordinator. Schools are free to take part in as many state qualifiers as they like. In each of our three divisions—elementary, middle school, and high school—the 30 teams with the highest team scores from the Bull’s-eye State qualifying competition will go to the Bull’s-eye State final. If an individual shoots 280/300 in the state qualifying tournaments, they can still qualify for the Bull’s-eye state tournament even if their team does not. In order to get ready for the Bull’s-eye State Championship, which will take place at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs from March 7–8, schools will conclude their competitions by the end of January this year.
On March 22, Pangburn High School will host the IBO/3D state competition.
Jimenez continued, “As the IBO/3D side of the sport gains popularity and participation, we expect the qualification standard to rise.” “However, all archers who compete in a state qualifier will have the opportunity to compete at the state championship for the time being.”
