The outdoor adventures class’s archery team went to their first competition on Saturday in Denison. Led by coach Morgan Walker, the students competed both individually and as a team.

   “Not only do we have kids that are already active, we are getting new kids as well,” agriculture teacher Stephen Hindman said. “We took 15 kids to this competition who probably never would have been part of our Ag department otherwise.”

   The archery team has been practicing in class for six weeks. They take turns shooting arrows at targets that are set up on the other side of the room, and then they get scored based on how close they got to the center.

   “Everyone has practiced a lot and worked really hard,” sophomore Kenny Geathers said. “It is cool to see how much everyone has improved.”

   If the team earns enough points at the competitions, they will earn their way to the state competition. Depending on how well the students do, they have the opportunity to earn scholarships.

   “This is just a new avenue for the kids to take,” Hindman said. “If they are not interested in livestock judging or other things but are avid hunters, that’s why they are in the wildlife class.”

   The team comes out of the school’s outdoor adventures class taught by Walker. The class is new to the school this year and covers a variety of things.

   “I am really glad I got the opportunity to be in this class,” Geathers said. “It’s a very different class from the rest of my schedule and I’m learning things I would never learn otherwise.”