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In 2002, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife and Department of Education partnered with Mathews Archery to create the Kentucky Archery in the Schools program. This program aimed to teach students in grades 4 through 12 the sport of archery as part of their physical education curricula. The partnership quickly captured the attention of other state wildlife agencies and the program’s rapid spread prompted a name change to the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP).
Knowing the initial monies provided by Matt McPherson, owner of Mathews Archery, were not sustainable, a question arose: “How are we going to fund this?”
Fortunately, state wildlife agencies had the answer: Wildlife Restoration’s Hunter Education and Enhanced Hunter Education sub-programs.
The Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 and subsequent amendments ensures that funds generated from federal excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment are distributed to state wildlife agencies to pay for conservation projects. These projects may include habitat and wildlife management, research, hunting access, hunter education, R3 related activities, and development and operation of target ranges. The Wildlife Restoration Act, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the bedrock for funding conservation and connecting people with nature.
Why did NASP gain popularity so quickly?
Archery is a sport unlike any other.
Participants don’t need to be fast, strong, or traditionally athletic. It doesn’t favor a person’s sex, making it one of the few activities in which males and females can compete side-by-side. Archery provides a truly level playing field.
The sport is also a lifelong activity. Individuals can begin their participation as young people and continue well into adulthood. Additionally, the program was designed to align with school curricula and to be incorporated easily into physical education classes.
The scalability of NASP is also a significant factor in its success.
NASP was created in a manner that it could be easily replicated at multiple schools with varying funding levels and demographics. Schools can adopt the NASP curriculum, teach it as part of physical education in any gymnasium at any school, and form a team that can compete at the local, state, and even national level.
With its appeal to a diverse range of students and seamless integration into school activities, its no wonder that this program has thrived! Annually, NASP engages 1.3 million students in over 9,500 schools. That is more student participants than the state of Delaware’s population. This number continues to grow.
The program doesn’t collect personally identifiable information for students, so they don’t have a method to track them after their time in NASP is finished. However, some students voluntarily participate in periodic surveys conducted by NASP.
Responses from students in the NASP 2024 student survey indicated that NASP helped students feel more confident in themselves and that students were better equipped to control their emotions and focus on tasks at hand, were motivated to do better in their classes, and felt more connected to their schools.
Why is NASP important?
Kentucky’s wildlife and education agencies created the program to address declining numbers of hunters and participation in shooting sports as well as the increasing rate of students dropping out of school.
Due to its widespread appeal to students of varying abilities, archery provides opportunities for all students, including the traditionally nonathletic individuals to be part of a team. When students feel like they are part of a team, they feel better connected to their school and peers. This sense of belonging reinvigorates students, motivating them to excel in the classroom and as part of their archery teams.
For wildlife agencies, the decline of hunters means a decline in hunting licenses sold. Many state agencies rely on revenue from hunting and fishing licenses for funding. Inspiring people to participate in outdoor recreation or purchase hunting or fishing licenses directly benefits wildlife agencies. What better way to reach people and encourage outdoor recreation participation than by partnering with schools?
Reaching students in schools has opened the door for individuals who typically wouldn’t have interacted with shooting sports. The NASP student survey is proving that student interactions with the program is inspiring them to get outdoors.
In the 2024 survey, 37% of students indicated that because of NASP, they participated in other outdoor activities with 31% of students reporting they had participated in fishing with a rod and reel and 17% reported having taken a hunter education course. Many more students indicate they want to learn to do these time-honored activities.
A newly released addendum to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s landmark 5-year survey on target shooting recreation participation acknowledges the National Archery in the Schools Program as a likely influence in the current archery participation rates of those 18 and younger across the United States. By bridging the gap between outdoor recreation and education, NASP is providing an outlet for students to connect with their school and fellow students while also encouraging outdoor recreation and inspiring interest in shooting sports. Since its inception, NASP has had a profound impact and continues to expand its reach while inspiring more students through archery participation.
Recreational Activities
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