Dixon Elementary’s archery team has qualified to compete in the National Archery in Schools world tournament to be held in July in Orlando, Fla.

The team placed seventh out of 180 elementary schools at the NASP national championship in Louisville earlier this month. Dixon’s Colby Lewis placed 15th individually in the elementary boys’ division.

The 31-member team is in its third year at Dixon. The 3,209 points scored at the national tournament were its highest total ever and this is its first time to qualify for the world tournament.

Coach Faye Hussong said archery helps instill greater focus and self-esteem in students and is a good outlet for those who don’t gravitate to more traditional sports. “We found out that it encompasses everything the other types of athletics don’t do,” Hussong said.

The Dixon team won the Alma Bryant regional tournament in February for the second straight year and then placed second in the elementary school division a the NASP Alabama state championship, also for the second straight year. Ian Crosswhite and Lilly Steiner placed first individually in their respective divisions at the state tournament.

Thirteen members of the team also qualified as Academic Archers, with all As and Bs.

A couple of fundraisers have been scheduled to help the team with its expenses in traveling to the world tournament. On May 30, the Lighthouse Restaurant will donate a percentage of its proceeds to the team, and team members will wait tables that night. The team will also benefit from an event at Dreamland Skate Center on June 8.