Kennedy to roll out $10 million challenge to encourage Presidential Fitness Test in schools

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to announce a new nationwide competition for schools aimed at expanding participation in the Presidential Fitness Test, which President Donald Trump revived last year.

The challenge will offer $7 million in prizes to schools, districts and youth organizations that demonstrate effective ways to implement the test, the Health and Human Services Department told NBC News. Another $3 million in awards and vouchers will be available for fitness or sports equipment.

Trump signed an executive order last year to bring the test back to schools. But only 161 schools on U.S. military installations are required to do so, so the administration has looked for ways to boost participation.

Starting Thursday, organizations can apply for the cash prizes on a new federal website, Fitness.gov. Entries can be submitted until February, then winners are expected to be announced in the spring.

The fitness test is a lengthy tradition in public elementary, middle and high schools that measures children’s physical health based on their performance in various cardiovascular and strength exercises. Children compete to win awards by hitting certain benchmarks for their age and sex, such as running a mile in under 10 minutes. The exercises for…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health