It was just another day in Mr. Peterson's anthropology class when he told us that he was hoping that as many of us as possible would be able to participate in this year's Northeast Open Atlatl Championship at Chimney Point State Historic Site on at Addison on Lake Champlain. (l-r Taryn McLaughlin, Adam Boynton and Jess Wilkinson reenact the Yanomamo creation myth.) This was the kick-off event for the Vermont Archaeology Society's Vermont Achaeology Week 2000. It was only a couple of weeks away and Mr. Peterson wanted it to be part of a larger assignment that would involve making an atlatl and darts, participating in the competition, then writing about the experience later on.
 

Mr. Peterson already had some atlatls made by previous students and after a week many of us had made our own atlatls. He took us out on the field beside the school to get a little experience. (l-r Kate Herlihy, Kasey Gallo, Taryn McLaughlin [barely visible] Abby Barrett, Jess Gillen, Jess Wilkinson, Laura Daley.)

September 16! The day of the contest had arrived. It was bright and sunny with a light breeze blowing off of Lake Champlain. Students arrived early and registered with high hopes that they would win the competition and bring glory, once again, to the proud and noble institution known as Rutland High School! Among the very first to sign up were Sara Vanderhoof, Abby Barrett and Taryn McLaughlin. Their skills were as sharp as the tips of their darts and they were hungy for wooly mammoth and arctic bison.