Shooting a wholesome, high-caliber activity

The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) is an after-school activity with about 25 Mat-Su Borough School District registered shooters in grades four through eight, and about the same number of high school students from Colony, Houston, Palmer and Wasilla high schools participating in trap, skeet and sporting clay shooting.

Neil and Lorinda Moss are sport enthusiasts and Mr. Moss is coach for the Grouse Ridge Rangers, a portion of the group comprised primarily of middle school students. The coaches for high school teams include:

• Palmer High School Moose — Lee Renfrew.

• Houston High School Hawks — Benjamin Parker.

• Wasilla High School Warriors — Joseph Turtle.

• Colony High School Knights — Tom Lord.

The high school championship held Dec. 15 was an opportunity for students to demonstrate their firearms safety and sporting skills. Using guns in a safe manner for sport or for hunting in Alaska is a normal activity for our families.

The after-school activity is another opportunity for students to learn a physical skill while building friendships. Students not only learn firearms safety, but also develop interpersonal skills in the areas of respect for others, self-confidence and self-esteem building, self-reliant decision-making, responsibility, teamwork and sportsmanship. These attributes are goals for SCTP and are goals for which we want all students to strive and excel.

According to the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation, sponsor of SCTP, the program goals include:

• Teaching the safe and responsible handling and use of firearms;

• Providing a supportive team-based environment, using clay sports target shooting as the catalyst for teaching life lessons and skills that emphasize positive character traits and citizenship values;

• Introducing young shooters to a sport that can be enjoyed for a lifetime, one that offers a level playing field and offers all family members an opportunity to play.

“The Scholastic Clay Target Program is more than just kids shooting clays,” Moss said.

It also is an opportunity for students to learn a skill they can enjoy all their lives and participate in fall, spring and summer competitions.

“In the fall, championships are held for 25- and 50-bird trap and bird skeet, with sporting clays walkthrough in the spring,” Moss said.

Registration is opened in August for the fall semesters and in January for the spring season. American sport shooting includes trap, skeet and sporting clays. Internationally, students participate in bunker trap, wobble trap and international skeet.

All fees and registration are paid by students’ families. The clubs are open to high school students with a 2.0 minimum grade point average. Active participation provides opportunities for future scholarships or a chance at the Junior Olympics of SCTP shooting scheduled for July 2013 in Sparta, Ill.

Nationally, the divisions include the Rookie Division (fifth-graders and below, state law permitting), Intermediate Division for grades six to eight and Senior Division for grades nine through 12. For accredited institutions, there is a collegiate division.

Dr. Deena Paramo is superintendent of the Mat-Su Borough School District.