By Emily Wilkinson
Active Southern West Virginia (Active SWV) is a nonprofit organization that strives to create a culture of health and physical activity in Southern West Virginia by increasing opportunities for active lifestyles. The Active SWV Kids Run Club program, one of the organization’s five core programming areas, improves the health outcomes of Southern West Virginian youth by empowering students with the opportunities, skills and knowledge to be physically active. In 2017 alone, more than 1,900 youth across 21 schools and two community groups in Fayette, Raleigh, Nicholas and Summers counties participated in the program.
Photo by Tara Fowler.
The Active SWV Kids Run Club program began in 2015 with the goal of creating an engaging and accessible program that encourages youth to form healthy habits and get excited about running and physical activity. While other organizations promote youth sports programming, Active SWV Kids Run Clubs are unique as there are no skill requirements, equipment purchases or membership fees for an interested child to participate. The clubs are provided at no cost to the participant or school and were designed specifically to be accessible for those who may not have the resources to participate in an organized sport.
Melanie Seiler, executive director of Active SWV, believes the strong values of the program have led to its success and quick uptake in the area. “Active SWV Kids Run Clubs prioritize values of inclusion, positivity, teamwork and education,” she says. “Youth feel encouraged by their teammates and coaches in their running endeavors. By creating a positive and encouraging atmosphere, we hope that youth will continue to be active outside of the club and see themselves as capable and strong runners.”
Active SWV staff provide the necessary training and resources to volunteer coaches, often teachers or parents, to lead a club at their school. Leading a group allows volunteer coaches to serve as positive role models and build stronger relationships with their students outside the classroom.
“During runs at practice, we had so much time to talk. In addition to the natural stress relief gained from exercise, it’s been therapeutic for these kids to get an extra chance to just talk and share about their day,” says Charlie Rose, a teacher at Birch River Elementary School in Nicholas County. “Thank you for bringing this program to our school community. It has been a profound, life-changing experience for me.”
Photo by Tara Fowler.
Active SWV Kids Run Clubs emphasize self-improvement and goal setting. Each six-to-eight-week season culminates in a celebratory fun run event, where participants can test their new running skills out surrounded by family and friends in a noncompetitive, race-like event. Many Kids Run Clubs add their own flair to the fun run event, using themes like color runs, costume runs and superhero runs. The event is not timed, and all participants receive finisher medals and certificates. Siblings, parents and family members are invited to join in on the event, cheering on their child or running alongside them.
Active SWV partners with the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Public Health to conduct pre- and post-program participant surveys to measure the impact of the clubs. Since survey analysis began in 2015, they have revealed an array of results, including increased physical activity levels, improved knowledge of physical activity skills and decreased TV and computer screen time during the school week.
“Our continued partnership with the WVU School of Public Health is an important asset to our program and has provided valuable feedback to improve the survey process for future seasons,” says Seiler. “We hope to expand our understanding of the effects Kids Run Clubs have on participant and family health behavior in the future.”
In the fall of 2017, 71.8 percent of youth surveyed said that since their participation in a running club, they have persuaded a friend or family member to increase their physical activity. Aside from data evaluations, coaches and teachers have noticed behavioral changes in many of their Kids Run Club participants.
Photo by Tara Fowler.
“Several teachers in our school have come up to me and expressed their gratitude for leading this club, saying their troubled kids have done a complete 180 and have a positive outlet to plug into now,” says Cassie Smith, a teacher at Hinton Area Elementary School in Summers County.
Active SWV hosts two signature race events each year to support the Kids Run Club program—the Active SWV Family Triathlon and the Active SWV Bridge Day 5K. These events are built for beginner and experienced racers alike. The Active SWV Family Triathlon is held at Summersville Lake and encourages families to run, bike and paddle together. The Active SWV Bridge Day 5k is hosted during West Virginia’s largest one-day festival, Bridge Day. Racers run across the iconic New River Gorge Bridge, through Fayetteville town streets and finish in front of the Historic Fayette County Court House. Bridge Day 5k runners can also support Kids Run Clubs by participating in the Kids Run Club Fundraising Challenge leading up to the event. Participants who raise $100 for the program will receive a special technical race day shirt.
“We hope many racers will choose to participate in the Kids Run Club Fundraising Challenge,” says Seiler. “Kids are the future leaders of our state. Learning the importance of physical activity now will motivate them to continue a healthy lifestyle while inspiring their family and friends. We hope our community can support this mission and make a Kids Run Club experience available to all youth in our area.”
About the Author
Emily Wilkinson graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in kinesiology and health sciences with a concentration in public health. She serves as an AmeriCorps VISTA and community health director for Active Southern West Virginia. Wilkinson holds multiple group fitness certifications and has more than 250 hours of instructional experience.
