Written by Harper Timberlake and Jaylyn Hamilton
Salem Community Schools hit a bullseye when they received a grant to add more archery targets. These targets are unique because of their 3D realistic attributes and were made possible due to a D. Jack Mahuron Education Grant through the Washington County Community Foundation. Other grants were received, as well, from the Indiana Department of National Resource Law Enforcement and the Indiana Chapters of the Wild Turkey Federation. This provided $3,034 in total. With this money, they were able to buy 15 new targets.
Physical Education teachers Michelle Stancombe, 3D Archery Grant Coordinator, Gwinn Miller and Duane Malloy applied for the grants. The school was able to get the grants because they had teachers that are registered and trained in archery. The schools already had some other archery equipment, such as quiver bows and backdrop nets for archery.
This new grant allowed the schools to get more advanced equipment like the new 3D targets. The school received many different types of targets and accessories from the grant including two deer, an antelope, a cinnamon bear, a coyote, a sheep, a small stand, five medium stands, a green net, instructional banners and a floor quiver set. These targets are more realistic, which makes learning the skill more valuable.
All school buildings can and will use the new targets. The schools plan to use them for gym classes throughout the schools, as well as the high school Archery Club. They will get more people involved and hope to form a school team.
“Our ultimate goal is to someday have an extracurricular activity regarding archery,” Stancombe said.
Currently, there is an Archery Club at the high school led by Miller. “I am excited about students getting to try something new and the grant allows that,” she said.
Miller has led the club since the last grant, REACH, was available to help fund the Archery Club. About the same time, she received her certification to teach archery. With this new grant, she is able to get more involved and advanced with the Archery Club.
“I think archery is important for students that aren't involved in other sports,” Miller said. “It gives them a way to be involved in school activities.”
Now the schools have equipment to provide more resources for the Archery Club and the gym archery courses for all of the schools. This will open more opportunities to explore more into other sports, learn unique and valuable skills and make new friends. Archery is not a skill that everyone can say they obtain, which makes learning the skill just that more special.