amanogue posted on March 09, 2009 09:07
SD GAME FISH AND PARKS NEWS 3-6-09
GFP Educator Honored
PIERRE, S.D. – Chad Tussing, Education Services Coordinator for the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department, has been honored by the South Dakota Science Teachers Association with the 2009 Friend of Science Award.
SDSTA presents the award each year to an individual for their support of South Dakota students and the work done by the association. “We are proud to work with such a generous educator,” Mark Farrand, executive board member for SDSTA said. “Chad gives of his time, energy and ideas selflessly for the betterment of learners of all ages across South Dakota.”
Tussing has given presentations related to Project WILD and other GFP education programs at the SDSTA conference, as well as providing materials for teachers attending the annual Science and Math Conference. He has also developed and presented numerous workshops for educators across South Dakota.
Tussing has worked as an educator with GFP for over eight years.
Archery students invited to tournament
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota students participating in the state’s National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) have been invited to be part of a pilot program for a national tournament.
Game, Fish and Parks NASP coordinator Curt Robertson said that both South Dakota and New Mexico have been invited to take part in the pilot program.
“We currently have over 50 schools trained in NASP and I’m excited that we have been selected on a national level for competition,” Robertson said. “This will be of great value for the NASP program across the nation, and will help South Dakota take our program to the next level.”
Robertson said schools currently participating in the program may enter or not at their own discretion. Entries are made online. Participation is completed at the local school. Each student shoots three sets with five arrows each from 10-15 meters. Teachers post the student’s scores online, including the number of “10’s.” NASP will then notify schools of individual and team rankings.
“These schools have embraced the NASP program for the motivation that students have found through the sport of archery and for the way the archery lessons lend themselves to national education standards,” Robertson said. “We have great instructors that have been spreading the good word about the NASP program, and we expect even more South Dakota schools to become involved.”
The archery competition will be completed in early April.