The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Generation Conservation initiative aims to provide an authentic learning environment for teachers and K-12 students in Arkansas to engage and compete in AGFC programming and offerings.

This educational summit brings awareness to the role that AGFC plays in the state, creating spaces for students and educators to learn directly from conservation professionals.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will hold its inaugural Generation Conservation summit on Nov. 5-6, 2025. Student groups from around the state (only 24 students per school can compete) will face off in conservation-related competitions for bragging rights, prizes and possible additional funding for their school.

• The deadline for regional and pre-competition sign-up is Aug. 29, 2025. 
• The deadline for the on-site competition (Summit) sign-up is Oct. 1, 2025

Regional Competition Locations

Competition Subjects

The competitions beforehand and on-site will cover a variety of subjects pertaining to the divisions that keep AGFC going, including:

Contacts

Educating and Empowering Arkansans for Aquatic Conservation

More than 90,000 miles of streams lace The Natural State, from the mighty Arkansas River to small creeks you can jump across. These rivers, streams, bayous, creeks and springs provide millions of hours of recreational activity, millions of gallons of drinking water, water for irrigation and industry, and millions of dollars of income to the state and its citizens.

Unfortunately, we’ve hurt the quality of many waterways. We’ve lost thousands of miles of free-flowing, natural streams to damming, industrial and agricultural pollution and other activities. Support your local waterway by sponsoring a Stream Team.

How to Get Involved

The Stream Team program is a resource to help educators and community leaders take initiative in conservation of our local waterways. Those interested can register to sponsor a Stream Team and adopt a waterway of their choice. Sponsors are required to participate in Stream Team training and conduct at least three monitoring sessions each year. This training is eligible as Professional Development hours for educators. In order to support consistent monitoring, sponsors will receive a Stream Team Kit including macroinvertebrate sampling nets, waders, basic water quality monitoring set, reusable mesh waste bags, and other support materials.

Looking to Dive Deeper?

Stream Team Sponsors looking to enhance or supplement their monitoring tools are also eligible to apply for a Wildlife Education Grant. Grant funds can be used by educators to purchase any additional equipment or supplies to help expand their Stream Team capabilities.

Data Recording & Stream Team Mapper

Need More?

For any additional information regarding Stream Team offerings or data reporting please contact the Stream Team Coordinator.

Looking For Conservation In Your Curriculum?

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is committed to inspiring a love of the outdoors and conservation in young Arkansans and is working with schools to foster responsible stewardship of natural resources in the next generation. 

Through our School of Conservation Leadership Program, AGFC is working to increase conservation education, outdoor learning and outdoor recreation opportunities for students in Arkansas and to increase awareness of conservation careers and inspire the next generation of conservation professionals. The Commission has created a designation that recognizes the public, private, charter and early childhood schools that are doing this well. If you’d like your school to be a School of Conservation Leadership, please work with your school’s administration to review the requirements below and complete the Letter of Commitment and return to marybeth.hatch@agfc.ar.gov if your school wants to participate.

Increasing participation in all Arkansas Game and Fish Commission programming at the campus level

Recognize schools that are doing this well, create model/mentor schools/programs within the state; create new opportunities and continue current programming offered by Nature Center staff to support education outreach

Application: Phase 1

Application: Phase 2

Application: Phase 3

About

Youth Shooting Sports aims to bring the joy of the outdoors and the rewards of safely learning to shoot to young Arkansans. Have you ever considered competing in the Olympics or a national shooting championship? This program from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission could be a start.

Youth Shooting Sports has two divisions: junior and senior. The junior division is for grades 5-8 and the senior division is for grades 9-12. Home-schooled students compete in the division they would be in if they were in public school. Home-schooled students 15 or older must compete in the senior division. Trap shooting is the sanctioned sport of Youth Shooting Sports. The season begins February 1.

Any type of shotgun action is allowed, as long as the bore is 12 or 20 gauge. Release triggers and exposed hammers are not allowed. Trap machines that throw targets at unknown angles are used. The state coordinator may specify models of trap machines for Youth Shooting Sports events. All shooters and coaches must wear appropriate eye and ear protection.

2025 Regional and State Tournament Info

All teams must be on the field and ready to compete 45 minutes prior to their scheduled time to compete. No ammunition is allowed on the AGFF shooting sports complex range grounds during YSS tournaments. Anyone caught having any ammunition on their person or vehicle will be grounds for disqualification of the team. Youth Shooting Sports will provide all competitors their needed ammunition once they take the competition line.

2025 State Tournament Dates

• May 30, 2025 for Juniors
• May 31, 2025 for Seniors

2025 Tournament Results

Click here to view the 2025 Tournament Results. 

2025 Youth Shooting Sports Regional Map

Team Terms

Each participant must be on a team. Teams commonly represent schools, 4-H Clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church youth groups and other organizations, although anyone may form a group. Each team must have a coach and must meet these requirements:

• A team must have at least five members.
• Teams shoot in squads of five members.
• A team may field as many squads as it can fill.
• Participants must take part in at least five team practices.
• Practices must be held on different days.
• Regional and state competitions do not count as practice.
• Each participant must shoot at least 25 targets at each practice.
• Each team must register with the Youth Shooting Sports state coordinator.

A shoot is a competition between at least two teams. A regional meet is a competition among shooting squads from a geographic area that are trying to qualify for the state championship.

Only registered Youth Shooting Sports participants are allowed to compete and practice. All teams must be registered by March 1. Only coaches may register teams. Click on the link below to register.

Registration is available online. First time users will enter their AGFC Coach ID Number and Last Name. Returning users will enter their Username and Password.

Team Support Packages

A shooting team may apply for an Youth Shooting Sports grant. A team must have at least five members and must practice at least five times. A grant will provide a basic team support package which includes:

• Targets
• Ammunition
• Protective glasses

• Ear protection

Coach Info and Team Registration

Coaches must be 21 to apply and must be certified by AGFC to participate in the program. Contact the YSS program coordinator to learn more. Program forms including Practice Log, Shotgun Checkout, Tournament Score Sheet, Trap Machine Checkout and Trap Machine Grant Application can be found under the Documents tab.

New Coach Training

• Youth Shooting Sports Training Manual for Coaches

Active Coaches

• Online Registration (certified coaches only)

Documents

Contact