Parrott Academy’s junior and senior competitive shooting teams won a place on the podium in the District 2 NC Hunter Education Tournament held April 10th. Sponsored by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, the tournament lets young marksmen compete in shotgun, rifle, and archery events, as well as hunter skills testing. 

In the junior division, JoJo Ferebee won first place in shotgun, rifle, and overall individual competition while Connor McInnis won first place in archery.  Carolina Jones placed first in the hunter skills testing. The Middle School 1 team swept the boards with team wins in all four categories and was the tenth highest among 72 teams statewide. 

In the senior division, Landon Kearney placed first in shotgun, Ashelynne Fisher placed first in rifle, and Aspen Manning placed first in archery.  Laura Fern Jones placed first in hunter skills testing both in the district and in the state. APA’s White Team placed third in the team shotgun competition, while APA Red won first place in all four competitions. 

A growing sport at APA, the competitive shooting team is coached by John Leighton, a retired marine, assisted by his wife, Parrott math teacher Mary Leighton.  Begun in 2012, it now has 47 students who participate in weekly practices.  Mrs. Leighton says the team members learn safety, preparation, self-discipline, and responsibility.  “It’s a great opportunity for our youth to interact with wildlife officers in a positive way and to get out in nature.” The team heads to state competition on April 24th.