Grand County students recently participated in National Archery in the Schools Program Colorado State Virtual Tournament. Both Granby Elementary and East Grand Middle School placed third in the state tournament, with six students qualifying for nationals.

These six students will participate in the national tournament April 26-27, along with 1,700 other students from grades 4-12. The East Grand School District Archery Club is looking for support in the form of donations and sponsorships leading up to the tournament to help with costs associated with participating in nationals.

During state tournaments in the elementary female division Jaylee Behncke placed second, Trinleigh Vague placed fifth representing Kremmling Homeschool Co-op, and Jasmine Chrysler placed eighth. In the middle school female division, Chloe Fanning placed fourth, Jacey Paugh placed eighth and London Burns placed 10th.

In this program students learned how to shoot compound bow and arrows through an in-school curriculum. Granby Elementary School’s physical education teacher, Maggie Keller, has been teaching archery to local students for more than 10 years, and this year East Grand Middle School incorporated it into their curriculum. National Archery in the Schools Program, which is supported by Colorado Parks and Wildlife supports the curriculum.

“The curriculum helps some kids thrive while doing archery. They become focused and engaged in a way they don’t elsewhere,” Keller stated in a press release, “It’s fun to watch the kids thrive, especially those that don’t seem excited about school otherwise.”

The teachers thanked Parks and Wildlife officer Jeff Behncke for his help.

Contact Jen Fanning if you would like to support the student archers at the national tournament through donations or sponsorship. You can reach her at jengiacomini@yahoo.com.