RRCA Annual Report_Layout 1 3/5/12 12:38 PM Page 10
Kids Run the Nation® Program
TwentyHeight programs throughout the US that collectively serve 30,000 youth received a total of $20,500 in grants, an increase compared to the $15,000 granted in 2010. Since 2007, the RRCA has provided over $50,000 in small grants to deserving youth running programs around the country through the Kids Run the NaH tion Fund. The Kids Run the Nation Fund is deH signed to provide needed resources to launch and support youth running programs around the counH try as an opportunity to address the onHgoing inacH tivity and obesity crisis facing today ’s youth. The 2011 recipients include: Rutland County VerH mont Kids Run the Nation; Kids Run the OC; Adams in Motion; Dreamfar High School Marathon; AnaH costia Kids Running Program; Bramleton Kids Run the Nation; Mustang Marathon Club; Manhattan Cross Country Club; San Jose Run Club; Kids Run the School; Fremont Flash Youth Running Program; Allentown Elementary Running Club; Auburn OpeH lika Running and Track Association Children ’s Half Marathon; ThomsonHMcDu e Middle School RunH ner ’s Club; Townley Marathon Kids; White Bear Area YMCA Teen Running Club; JUST RUN; JYS Mud Runners; Tidewater Striders New Energy; Run For Your Life Kids After School Run Club; Starting Block Striders; Atkinson Running Club; Flying EaH
10 • RRCA Annual Report
gles Running Club; Florida Striders Children ’s RunH ning Program; Plateau Kids Running; Northwest Broward Road Runners Youth Running Program; Laurel Running Thunder; and Husky Hustle. The Kids Run the Nation program is a gender incluH sive, multiHweek, turnkey, youth running program designed to meet the physical activity goals outH lined by the United States Department of AgriculH ture (USDA) for children in grades kindergarten through sixth grade. The program can also be modied to better serve older grades. Through this program, the RRCA ’s vision is to help establish loH cally managed youth running programs in every grade school in America. In September, the RRCA launched the 2nd edition of the Kids Run the Nation Program Guide. In three short years we have circulated over 2,500 copies of the Guide and almost 20,000 copies of the Kids Run the Nation: A Running Guide for Kids booklets. The 2nd edition of the Kids Run the Nation Guide o ers ten lesson plans, compared to the eight lesH sons o ered in the 1st edition, that can be impleH mented over an 8 to 10Hweek period. RRCA members are encouraged to obtain copies of the Program Guide, share them with schools in their communities, and work with parents and teachers to implement youth running programs. In conjunction with the 2nd edition of the Program Guide, the RRCA has partnered with RunClubH SignUp.com to launch the new Kids Club manageH ment tool. The Kids Club management tool can be found at www.RRCA.org/programs/kidsHrunHtheH nationHprogram/programHdirectors/. This new tool features an online registration system for program directors that is free of charge if the program does not charge a registration fee for students. The Kids Club also features the free national youth running log.