After one sharp whistle blow, the active row of seventh and eighth graders at Portola Junior-Senior High School, each holding a compound bow, goes quiet as students nock their arrows, pull back their strings, take careful aim and let the arrows fly in the direction of the brightly colored targets 10 meters away. The students are part of a National Archery in the Schools Program at Portola High, being instructed by retired science teacher Dave Valle. About 25 students have been out enjoying archery twice a week this spring, says Valle.
Valle is a certified basic archery instructor. Part of the coach training is provided by NASP, which has developed archery curriculum for fourth to 12th grade. Archery builds focus, discipline, patience and self-control, all of which are skills that transfer into the classroom, and into life.
Starting in 2018, Valle said, he wanted to bring the archery sport to students, and worked for months to raise the funds for the project. “It takes about $5,000 to get the NASP program up and running,” he says. “The kids would not have this opportunity without the support of the community. We’ve been fortunate to receive funds from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Plumas County Fish and Game Commission, Portola resident Tom Rose, Feather River Archery Club, and Sierra Valley Gun Club, as well as other generous donations.”
Valle said he always tries to make students aware of the fact that 11% of all proceeds for the sale of archery equipment, as well as firearms and ammunition, goes to support wildlife conservation through the Pittman-Robertson Act, which in 2023 alone provided California almost $32 million for wildlife conservation.
NASP is a great way to get started with archery, said Valle, as it spells out all the steps a school needs to take to implement the program. All teams in NASP use the same equipment, to level the playing field. Archery equipment used in NASP is highly standardized to be safe, durable, economical and, most importantly, a universal fit for almost every student. In NASP learning the “process” of shooting is stressed far more than arrow scores. The only bow used in NASP is a Genesis brand compound that has no let-off and is adjustable from 10 to 20 pounds in draw weight at any draw length.
Information provided by Portola Junior-Senior High School National Archery in the Schools Program