Thirty-three Buchanan Elementary School students captured 8th place overall in the National Archery in the Schools Program national competition in May in Louisville, Kentucky.

The team earned eighth place in the bulls-eye competition and ninth place in the 3-D (dimensional) competition for students in grades 4-12, said SRO Mike Farmer, who is one of eight assistant coaches with parent head coach Denise Harrell. The 3-D depicts animals as targets.

"It's an honor teaching them," Farmer said. "For an elementary team that's been above 50th in in the nation, that was pretty good."

Buchanan's Hornets qualified for the nationals after they earned first place in the Tennessee 3-D competition and second place in the bulls-eye competition.

Competitor Mason Putnam shot a 285 out of 300 possible points. He placed sixth in the elementary division for 3-D and ninth for bulls-eye in the national tournament. He was one of the students who earned an all-academic archery award.

SRO Farmer is proud of the academic achievements of the students as well.

"Archery helps the kids focus so much they end up being straight A students," Farmer said.

Other Rutherford County teams competing in the national tournament were Browns Chapel, Cedar Grove, Christiana, Rockvale and Stewartsboro Elementary Schools, Stewarts Creek, Rockvale, Blackman, Christiana and Whitworth-Buchanan Middle Schools, Riverdale, Oakland and Siegel High Schools and Central Magnet School.

Many of the SROs in the schools help coach the archery teams.

The National Archery in the Schools Program Website stated the program is a joint venture between state departments of Education and Wildlife. Several archery equipment manufacturers and organizations are also partners.

The program promotes student education, physical education and participation in the life- long sport of Archery. The program's focus is to provide International Style Target Archery training in physical education classes for grades 4-12.