SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) will be hosting the 17th annual West Virginia Archery in the Schools State Tournament on March 26 at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center. Doors open at 8 a.m. with the first archers taking aim at 9 a.m., and the event will wrap up at 5 p.m. An awards ceremony will follow the competition at 5:30 p.m.
“After the pandemic put many events on hold and students not only had to shift the way they learned but missed out on so many programs, we are so excited to be putting on this event in person again,” said Chris Scraggs, Archery in the Schools program coordinator. “Over 1,300 students from 76 schools from across the state participated in the State Qualifier this year. Of those, the top seven teams and the top 15 boys and girls from elementary, middle and high school are ready to pull back their bow string and taking aim for a win.”
Everyone is encouraged to attend and watch some of the state’s best student archers as they compete for top honors. The admission fee to watch the tournament is $5 for adults (18 and older) and $3 for children (6-17). Children younger than six get in free.
Students from the following schools qualified to participate in this year’s tournament:
• Bridge/Clendenin Elementary
• Buckhannon Upshur High
• Buckhannon-Upshur Middle
• Cameron Middle
• Cedar Grove Community School
• Chapmanville Middle
• Chapmanville Regional High
• Chesapeake Elementary
• Conner Street Elementary
• Crum PK8
• East Bank Middle
• Edison Middle
• Elk Elementary Center
• Elkview Middle
• George Washington Elementary
• George Washington Middle
• Grace Christian School
• HEAT
• Herbert Hoover High
• Hinton area Elementary
• Hurricane High
• Hurricane Middle
• Hurricane Town Elementary
• Independence Middle
• James Monroe High
• John Marshall High
• Lakeside Elementary
• Martin Elementary
• Maysville-Union Tigers
• Moundsville Middle
• Mountain View Elementary
• Petersburg High
• Petersburg Middle
• Peterstown Elementary
• Peterstown Middle
• Pickens School
• Pipestem Christian Academy
• Poca High
• Poca Middle
• Ravenswood High
• Ripley High
• Ripley Middle
• Riverside High
• Shady Spring High
• Shady Spring Middle
• Summers Co. High
• Upshur Co. Homeschool
• Upshur County Homeschool Archery Association
• Wahama
• West Teays Elementary
• Wheeling Central Catholic
• Wheeling Park High
• Winfield High
• Winfield Middle
• Wirt County High
Tournament competition is open only to schools that have received the National Archery in the Schools training and follow NASP rules. For more information on the West Virginia Archery in the Schools Program or to attend the next training, visit the WVDNR website at wvdnr.gov/west-virginia-archery-in-the-schools-program.
“We want to thank everyone who has been a part of this program,” said Scraggs. “Without all of the coaches, volunteers, conservation and educational organizations around our great state, this fantastic program for students would not be possible.”
