Another Kids Run Club season is coming to a close, with a total of 37 schools and community groups around the state wrapping up their spring running!
This season Active SWV had nine new groups join the program – Highlawn Elementary, Smoot Elementary, Eastern Panhandle Preparatory School, Athens Elementary, Woodsdale Elementary, Conner Street Elementary, Greater Beckley Christian School, Smithville Elementary, and Webster Springs Elementary.
The remaining 28 schools and groups have done the program before – Alum Creek Elementary, Aurora School, Barboursville Middle, Berlin Mckinney Elementary, Bluewell Elementary, Bruceton school, Brushfork Elementary, Chamberlain Elementary, Charleston Red Shield Youth Center, Fairdale Elementary, Gauley River Elementary, George Washington Elementary, Kanawha City Elementary, Lashmeet Matoaka Elementary, Liberty High School, Melrose Elementary, Montcalm Elementary, Morgantown Early Learning Facility, Mountain State Montessori, Mountain Valley Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, North Elementary, Peterson Central Elementary, Princeton Primary, St. Albans Red Shield Youth Center, Sun Valley Elementary, Wright Denny Intermediate, and Zela Elementary.
All told, there were over 1,000 kids participating in the Kids Run Club program this spring!
Running Fun
Spring Kids Run Clubs hold weekly practices for six to eight weeks, where volunteer coaches teach kids warm up exercises, running technique, cool down stretches, and different active games. Kids Run Clubs then cap off their season with a ‘Fun Run’ their last week to celebrate the hard work and show off their running skills to friends, family, teachers, and classmates.
Every group’s Fun Run looks different, depending on the number of participants, space available, whether it’s during or after the school day, etc. This season, groups mixed it up and had some unique ideas to celebrate their seasons.
Alum Creek Elementary just finished up their second Kids Run Club season, and finished it off with a color run despite some rainy weather.
Greater Beckley Christian School also had a color run, but mixed it up with some obstacle course equipment too.
Mountain State Montessori has a hike club instead of a Run club, and finished off their season with at hike and picnic at the Fayette County Park.
Peterson Central Elementary participated in the ‘Strawberry Mile’ for their Fun Run, which is an annual community run through Buckhannon.
Bluewell Elementary, Brushfork Elementary, and Montcalm Elementary planned a combined Fun Run to celebrate their Kids Run Club seasons together.
Volunteer Voices
Kids Run Clubs are run by volunteer parent and teacher coaches. Without these dedicated individuals, the program wouldn’t exist, and hundreds of kids throughout West Virginian wouldn’t have the chance to be part of a free Kids Run Club at their school or community group. Thank you to all the volunteers who make the program possible!
Volunteers see first hand the positive impact the Kids Run Club program has on their students.
“It has made my students more active and they seem to want to stay active. They were really upset when my run club ended, so I believe they will keep being active throughout the summer”, said Nathaniel Evans of Berlin McKinney Elementary.
“I will volunteer again. Cross country and track does not start in my county until you are in the 6th grade, so having a run club for 3rd and 4th graders is great for sparking their interest in running,” he continues.
“The run club gets kids excited about running. I watch kids grow during the program. Some evolve from mostly walkers to jogging a little, to becoming runners who will aim for one mile in our meetings. I watch runners go from running a mile in one meeting to two by the end of the club. Students go from sprinting the first lap and being winded the rest of the club on our first meeting to setting a pace that they can maintain for a long period of time. They are excited, learning, and getting healthier.” Says Kara Vance, who has had a Kids Run Club for two seasons at her school Alum Creek Elementary. She also leads a club at Kenna Elementary in the fall.
“I very much enjoy the run club. I love watching students get excited about running. They count their laps and look forward to each mile (which is awarded with a bracelet). At the end of the club, they count their bracelets and wear them to showcase how many miles they completed in the club”, Kara continues.
Get Involved
The fall cycle of the Kids Run Club Mini-Grant will open in August. Schools and community groups can apply to start or continue a Kids Run Club at the beginning of the school year. Check our Kids Run Club webpage for more information, and a link to the application when it’s live.
Questions? Reach out to us at Hello@activeswv.com!
KIDS RUN CLUB CHAMPIONS
Email Active SWV’s Development Director, Kate, at kate@activeswv.com to find out how to become the next Kids Run Club Champion!
