by Jessyca Cardinell
Trapshooting has been making its way back into school systems around the area and on Nov. 7 during the Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education meeting, the creation of the Wildcat Trapshooting Team was unanimously approved.
“I would like to (commend) the board of education for allowing us to bring trapshooting back to Gouverneur Central,” said Byron Woodward of the Gouverneur Rod and Gun Club. “It's a great opportunity for the kids and you are going to see so many smiles because of this.”
Gouverneur Central students in sixth to twelfth grade are welcome to participate as long as they have taken the New York State Firearms Safety Course, which requires them to be 12 years of age. The course is offered year round.
The team will be formed in the spring of 2017, and will be a self-funded extra-curricular activity as there will be no participation expense to the school district, it was noted.
All activities will also be held at the Gouverneur Rod and Gun Club grounds on Route 58 and not on the school district's grounds as it had been many years ago, when the school actually had the trapshooting team practice in the basement of the school.
The team will join other participating schools in the New York State Clay Target League.
The Gouverneur School District will recognize students' hard work and participation in the annual yearbook and each student will also receive a letter designation (G).
“I think this is a great idea, to bring this back, especially with all the hunters we have around here,” said Lisa Dunkelberg, school board president.