NORWICH – Eight Norwich Middle School students hit the bullseye as they qualified for the National Archery in Schools Program (NASP) national competition, scheduled May 10-11 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.

The NASP program was started in Norwich at the beginning of the school year thanks to fundraising and the generous contributions of Conservation Alliance of New York, Adirondack-Catskill Safari Club International, Melissa Bailey from the NYSDEC, SHOTS - Sportspeople Helping Others Through Sharing, NY Bowhunters, and the Bob McNitt Foundation among other not-for-profit groups.

NASP promotes international-style  target archery as part of the in-school physical education curriculum, and students submitted qualifying scores based on their performances in gym class. The top five in each age division (in New York) earned qualifying spots, and 566 kids in New York State from 19 school districts participated. Earning qualifying spots in their respective age groups were sixth-graders Haley Richardson (1st), Alex Gage (1st), Hannah Baker (2nd), Alexis Taylor (3rd), Jonathan Merrill (3rd), and Dakota Franklin (3rd). Eighth-graders earning spots were Sophie Hutchens (1st) and Nate Scheer (3rd).

Over 8,000 archers from around the nation are expected to attend the event. “We are very proud of these accomplishments, and have seen a level of excitement around this sport that is refreshing in a era of video games,” said Norwich Middle School principal Scott Ryan.

More information about NASP is available online at http://www.nasparchery.com/activea.asp.