On Monday, students at Prince Edward County High School competed in a class archery competition to showcase skills learned over the period of the course.

The competition consisted of three rounds with the top four boys and top four girls having a shootoff at the end.

According to PECHS physical education teacher Janet Green, the archery class has been taught over the span of the last two weeks.

She and Longwood student-teacher Thomas Keefer have been responsible for instructing the students.

Green said one of the components that drew the staff’s interest in archery was the amount of discipline required. “Because of the nature of the activity, we have to be very strict,” she said.
“I think it’s really good for them to have that sort of strict discipline.”

The archery program is a component of the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), which promotes the sport as a part of in-school curriculum.

According to the NASP said, “Nearly everyone can enjoy success in archery. The sport or discipline of archery is highly inclusive and is for many enthusiasts a lifelong activity. Archery is a diverse and super-safe shooting activity with a wide variety of formats and styles. In NASP-style archery students of all genders, abilities and backgrounds flourish.”

Green said a big focus of physical education at Prince Edward is lifetime fitness, and all ages can take part in archery. She said that if the students desire, there are tournaments that can be joined through the NASP.

“It’s really fun to do,” said Jazmine Chambers, a Prince Edward ninth-grader. “ I always wanted to learn how to do it.” Chambers said Green is an excellent teacher to learn from.

“I bow hunt and I think it’s pretty fun,” said Gabe Gaines, also a ninth-grader.

Green said later in the week, the students will have the opportunity to practice their archery skills again as they shoot for candy.