The Massey Family Foundation Active Southern West Virginia Kids Run Club Alumni Scholarship
Active Southern West Virginia (Active SWV) is excited to announce a scholarship opportunity open to Kids Run Club program alumni!
As Kids Run Club alumni approach high school graduation, the Massey Family Foundation has endowed the Massey Family Foundation Active Southern West Virginia Kids Run Club Alumni Scholarship through the Beckley Area Foundation (BAF) to help students turn their dedication to health, fitness, and community engagement into educational opportunities. Designed for young people who have participated in the Active SWV Kids Run Club program, maintained strong academic performance, and shown leadership in their communities, this scholarship rewards commitment, achievement, and a passion for lifelong learning.
The scholarship supports students in pursuing post-secondary education, including college, university, vocational, or technical school at any accredited institution. By investing in these students, the fund nurtures the next generation of leaders and encourages a culture of wellness and service throughout Southern West Virginia.
The Massey Family Foundation has supported non-profits in central Appalachia for many years. The Foundations’ ongoing support of the BAF has increased unrestricted giving and grantmaking by making it possible for BAF to offer matching opportunities to new and existing donors. The Massey Family Foundation contributed the founding grant to Active Southern West Virginia in 2014, and continues to support its mission of improving the health of the community.
Eligibility requirements and application:
To be eligible for the Massey Family Foundation Active SWV Kids Run Club Alumni Scholarship, students must fit the following criteria:
- Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA,
- Have participated in the Active SWV Kids Run Club for at least four semesters
- Reside in one of the participating counties, currently including Fayette, Kanawha, Logan, Mercer, Mingo, Nicholas, Raleigh, Summers, Webster, and Wyoming. As the Kids Run program expands, additional counties will automatically be included in the eligibility criteria.
The Beckley Area Foundation Scholarship portal will be open Jan. 5 -March 1, 2026. High school seniors can apply for the scholarship online here: https://bafwv.org/how-to-apply/
The Kids Run Club Program
The Active SWV Kids Run Club program started in 2015 to offer a free physical activity option for elementary aged kids. Kids Run Clubs are volunteer led and designed to get kids moving in a structured and safe environment, teach them healthy skills, and build their confidence in physical activity. Volunteer Kids Run Club coaches follow the Kids Run Club training manual, which is a comprehensive guide containing warm up exercises, running workouts, game play ideas, cool down stretches, and other educational materials.
Starting with just one school in 2015, Valley Elementary, the Kids Run Club program has grown to reach over 100 schools and community groups, thousands of kids, and hundreds of volunteers throughout West Virginia. Now that the program is ten years old, some of the original participants in early Kids Run Clubs are entering college and are eligible to apply for this scholarship opportunity.
How to start a Kids Run Club in your Community
Each fall and spring, Active SWV opens the ‘Kids Run Club Mini-Grant’ application for schools and community groups to apply and start or continue a Kids Run Club. If awarded, they receive coaches training, the Kids Run Club curriculum manual, technical support from Active SWV, medals for all youth participants, and a $300 stipend to spend on healthy items for the club. The application and Kids Run Club program information are available on the Active SWV Kids Run Club webpage . To receive a Kids Run Club Mini Grant, schools or community organizations must return a signed MOU to Active SWV before beginning the program, offer the program for free to participants. complete the Active SWV waiver for all participants and return completed waivers to ASWV, administer the Active SWV pre and post surveys to participants (completed pre and post surveys returned to ASWV), and submit the grantee reporting form to Active SWV at the conclusion of the program.