Higginsville, Mo. – Students at Lafayette County C-1 School District in Higginsville will be able to participate this year in the Missouri National Archery in Schools (MoNASP) program, thanks to grants and assistance from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

Conservation Agent Lance Moore and other MDC staff recently held a training session for the program startup at Higginsville schools, and educators from some neighboring districts also attended to learn about the competitive archery program. The Higginsville MoNASP program is for students in fifth through eighth grades.

MoNASP offers a safe, indoor or outdoor, shooting experience for all ages. Standard equipment is used by all shooters, and bow draw can be adjusted for shooter strength. With all archers using the same gear, only the basic archery skills of aim, steadiness, stance and release make a difference in target scores. A wide range of students and ages can compete. Local, district and state MoNASP meets are held.

Statistics show that the archery helps kids improve their school attendance, increases self-esteem, increases physical activity, and helps them get outside.

Higginsville schools were able to purchase equipment at minimal cost thanks to grants from MDC, the Conservation Federation of Missouri, and local chapters of Whitetails Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Statewide, 525 schools and more than 150,000 students are participating in the MoNASP program. For more information on MoNASP, visit mdc.mo.gov/education/monasp.