Special to The Eagle Pictured are the winners of this year’s Elks Hoop Shoot, Zachery Strickland, Lesly Vergara, Manuel Flores, Allyson Innocenti and Noah Circoria. These students from Pine Island Elementary have earned their way to the district competition.

Taking their best shots, students from Pine Island Elementary have slam dunked their way into the next level of the “Elks Hoop Shoot.” Participating in the Elks National free throw contest, several girls and boys have qualified to move up to the regional competitions. Age groups ranged from 8 to 13 with the Pine Island Elks hosting competitions for both boys and girls. Taking first place in the girl’s group age 8 and 9 was Lesly Vergara and first in the 10 to 11 age group is Allyson Innocenti. There were no participants in the 12 to 13 girls group. Top boy finishers were Manuel Flores for the 8 to 9 age group, Zachery Strickland in the 10 to 11 group and Noah Circoria for the 12 to 13 year old group.

“We had some incredible kids this year,” said Dewey Duchaine with the Pine Island Elks. “I feel confident that we will make a good showing in the next event.”

The next leg of the competition will lead these students to a free throw contest pitted against students from Port Charlotte, Rotunda, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs and Naples.

According to Duchaine, the Elks Hoop Shoot is the largest of the many youth activities sponsored by Elks Lodges throughout the United States and more than 3,000,000 boys and girls participate each year. Should the Pine Island students win the district event, they will have the opportunity to move on to the regional competition and then to the national championships where six participants will be named the winners. The winners at the national level will receive a trophy and their names will be inscribed on a plaque that is on display at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fames in Springfield, Massachusetts.

According to Duchaine, the Elks also provide scholarships for winners as well as runner-up participants.

All travel expenses for the children and their parents will be paid for by the Elks throughout the competition as guests of the Elks.

According to information provided by the Elks, it is their desire through the Hoop Shoot program to provide an interesting, character-building, competitive program for boys and girls and aim to promote involvement with students, their peers, parents, teachers and the community.

“We would like to thank the Pine Island Elementary school students for participating as well as principal Rob Mazzoli and his staff for all of the help and support they provided to make the Hoop Shoot possible,” said Elizabeth Duchaine, Elks exhausted ruler. “Without them and the support of Elk volunteers, parents and the community, this event would not be possible.”

In addition to sponsoring the Hoop Shoot Free Throw Competition, the Pine Island Elks also assist Pine Island students with sponsorships to the Elks summer camp program, the annual essay contest with a focus on patriotism and present an award for Outstanding Student of the year at the end of each school year.