The Spring Kids Run Club season is underway, with schools and community groups from all over the state are giving kids the opportunity be active. This season, Active SWV has seen a huge influx of new schools excited to be a part of the Kids Run Club movement. We are excited to highlight our Spring 2024 Kids Run Club Mini-grant awardees!
Spring 2024 Mini-grant Awardees
This season, we had a total of 37 schools receive the Kids Run Club mini-grant. The funds can also be used to support an Active SWV Kids Hike Club, and this year we had two groups apply and receive funds to support their hike clubs.
The Spring 2024 awardees are below, with the new locations in bold:
- Alum Creek Elementary
- Baileysvillle Elementary and Middle
- Barboursville Middle
- Berkeley Heights Elementary
- Berlin Mckinney Elementary
- Bruceton School
- Chamberlain Elementary
- Crescent Elementary
- Hilltop Elementary
- Kenna Elementary
- Lashmeet Matoaka Elementary
- Liberty High School
- Mabscott Elementary
- Melrose Elementary
- Morgantown Early Learning Facility
- Mountain State Montessori Hike Club
- North Elementary School
- Oakvale Hike Club
- Princeton Primary
- Spanishburg Elementary
- Wright Denny Intermediate
- Kanawha City Elementary
- Roanoke Elementary
- Sun Valley Elementary
- Brushfork Elementary
- Stanaford Elementary
- Gallaher Village Community Group
- Opequon Elementary
- Straley Elementary
- Dunbar Intermediate
- Bluefield Intermediate
- Peterson-Central Elementary
- Pineville Middle
- Sherrard Middle School
Why Offer a Kids Run Club?
Active SWV’s Kids Run Club program gives kids the opportunity to be active in a structured and safe environment afterschool. Led by parent and teacher volunteers, Kids Run Clubs run in the fall and spring with curriculum, technical support, and funding from Active SWV.
Many kids in West Virginia don’t have access to free structured physical activity opportunities, and Active SWV is on a mission to change that with the Kids Run Club program.
Teacher and parent volunteers are truly what make the program possible. Active SWV is thrilled to have their support and is always excited to hear their thoughts on the Kids Run Program.
‘I love that it [kids run club] is a noncompetitive way to get kids active. I also really like that it involves kids who might not be involved with athletics or sports otherwise’ – Stacy Stump, Cranberry-Prosperity parent/teacher/coach
‘I have had the joy of doing run club at Fairdale Elementary and starting a run club at Mount Hope Christian Academy. At both school they were great successes. It is a program that I think every school should have, we even did a Fall and Spring session last year because of the intense interest. In most school the spots to be on a sports team are very slim and Run Club allows all children to become active and feel like athletes which completely changes them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen kids playing “Run Club” at recess and leading each other in stretches and activities.’ Heather Arbogast, Mt. Hope Christian teacher and coach
Looking Forward – Summer and Fall
This summer, Active SWV will once again partner with WVU Energy Express to offer the Kids Run Club program at sites all over West Virginia. Through this partnership, Active SWV trains Energy Express Americorps volunteers to facilitate the program for kids at participating sites, incorporating invigorating and educational activity into their day.
Once the summer Energy Express sites wrap up, next up is the Fall Kids Run Club Mini-grant cycle. This will launch in August 2024 to support Kids Run Clubs starting in the fall. All schools in WV are eligible to apply. Visit the Kids Run Club webpage to learn more about the program, and find the application when it is live.
