Cassville Democrat: Local News: Cassville SD offers archery education (05/18/11)

Cassville students learn archery skills Democrat Photos Cassville Intermediate School fifth grade students are learning archery skills thanks to a special grant the R-4 School District received this year. Students will be practicing shooting skills with bows and arrows on the lawn west of the JC Duncan Gymnasium each morning throughout the end of 2010-11 school year. Archery has been added as a special unit to intermediate school physical education classes. In the photo above, Coach Treslyn Pollreisz works with fifth grade student Amber Arnold. [Order this photo]

Thanks to a Missouri National Archery in Schools Program (MoNASP) grant, Cassville Intermediate School fourth and fifth grade students have the opportunity to learn archery skills in their physical education classes this year.

"Many of our students are hunters or have family members who hunt or just shoot recreationally," said Coach Treslyn Pollreisz, who is overseeing the archery education unit. "The students have really enjoyed learning something new. I have seen students excel where they may struggle in other areas."

The MoNASP grant, which the R-4 District received in May of 2010, provided funding for an archery range curtain, six compound bows, three targets and arrows. In addition to teaching basic archery skills, the program is designed to introduce students to a new outdoor activity.

Pollreisz structured the archery unit around general archery safety rules, including range safety, bow and arrow safety and whistle commands.

"All of the students go through an 11-step approach, which not only ensures safety but proper skill development," said Pollreisz. "Some of the classes will make their own string bows to have as a teaching aid and practice tool."

Some students have had the opportunity to watch an instructional video, while other classes receive instruction from Pollreisz in class.

The archery unit was scheduled to be offered during the final three weeks of the school year. Students will have the opportunity to practice their archery skills on the range, which is located west of the JC Duncan Gymnasium, three to six times before the end of the school year.

Pollreisz is a certified MoNASP instructor. In order to earn her certification, she was required to participate in an eight-hour course and successfully complete a written test and a practical test on range.