Funds Available to Kickstart Fun
Ron Wilson
Heading into its 20th year in the state, the National Archery in the Schools Program is in more than 200 schools across North Dakota.
According to Jeff Long, Game and Fish Department education coordinator, that means anywhere from 12,000 to 16,000 students are annually participating in the program in North Dakota.
“While there are other aspects of NASP, such as after-school tournaments, the heart of the program is the kids in the gymnasium doing archery every day across North Dakota,” Long said.
One of the schools is The Innovation School in Bismarck where NASP has been a staple for six years for fourth- through eighth-graders.
“While some of the kids took to it really well, there were others who had to work at it a little harder, but the confidence they gained by persevering has been really fun to watch,” said Kelsy Achtenberg, The Innovation School teacher and dean of students.
“We just kind of did a survey the other day on who would want to continue doing this. And they’re all, like, ‘it’s so fun and it’s easy.’ And that’s the cool thing about it is anyone can do it and it is a lifelong sport. It’s something they can use the rest of their lives.”
Achtenberg said students at The Innovation School shoot three times per week in spring and fall.
“The program is so rewarding … every student has said that when we’re shooting, it’s their favorite time of year,” she said. “And I agree. I always try to find ways where I can be on a team so I can shoot, too.”
Like a lot of schools, funding through the Game and Fish Department and NASP is the only way The Innovation School can make the program available to its students.
“There’s a combination of grants available through the Game and Fish Department and NASP.
The NASP grant varies anywhere from $750 to $1,000, depending on a school’s needs for the amount of equipment they’re buying … maybe even higher than that for some of the larger schools that need more equipment,” Long said.
“Game and Fish grant covers 50% of the startup costs.
Kelsy Achtenberg and her students practice their archery skills earlier this fall in Bismarck.
The startup costs are running right around $3,500 for the entire kit.
That’s the bows, net, arrows, bow rack, targets … everything they need to shoot.”
As a newcomer to the activity, Achtenberg said the online resources through Game and Fish and NASP and training from Long were invaluable.
“Working with Jeff was great.
I came into this not having any background knowledge … the training, not only as a shooter but as an educator, was invaluable,” she said.
While it’s hard to imagine NASP being in North Dakota schools as long as it has, Long said he knew the program was going to be a good fit after it was launched in Kentucky.
“It was developed by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources to help stem the loss of hunting and fishing and try to introduce a new thing to students,” he said.
“It grew to surrounding states, then all of a sudden, it’s in dozens of states.
I really had no doubt that it would eventually make its way to North Dakota.”
While NASP hangs its hat on teaching students patience, focus, perseverance, attention to detail and self-discipline, Long said the in-school program is also safe.
“The track record of the program on the national level for more than 20 years speaks for itself,” Long said.
“NASP still has a 100% perfect safety record.
It’s all about the training and discipline.
The program is designed, and the training is provided as such that the kids want to do it and so they follow the rules.
And when they follow the rules, everybody’s safe.”