The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday a $10 million prize competition designed to encourage schools and youth-serving organizations to implement the Presidential Fitness Test and develop programs that promote lifelong healthy habits.
The Presidential Fitness School Innovation Challenge was announced on October 1 at Westlake High School in Austin, where HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Education Secretary Linda McMahon and other officials joined students participating in fitness activities.
The event also marked the launch of Fitness.gov, a central online resource for instructional materials related to the Presidential Fitness Test.
Two Tracks Offer $10 Million in Awards
The challenge is open to eligible schools, school districts, state and local education agencies, and youth-serving organizations.
The competition includes two tracks.
Track 1, focused on PFT implementation and innovation, will provide $7 million in cash prizes to organizations that have developed and implemented innovative approaches to the test. Applicants must be able to demonstrate results, lessons learned, and plans to sustain or expand their programs.
Awards under the first track will range from $20,000 to $1 million.
Track 2 will provide $3 million in equipment vouchers and recognition awards for organizations that create encouraging fitness experiences and have plans to use sports and fitness equipment to support continued physical activity. Vouchers will range from $1,000 to $5,000.
Officials Promote Youth Fitness
Kennedy said the initiative is intended to encourage children to become more physically active and build lasting healthy habits.
“Getting America healthy starts with getting our children moving again,” Kennedy said. “President Trump brought back the Presidential Fitness Test to restore a culture of strength, fitness, and healthy competition for America’s youth. Now we are challenging schools and communities across the country to put that vision into action, reward the best ideas, and spread what works so every child has the opportunity to build healthy habits that last a lifetime.”
McMahon said physical activity can also support students’ ability to focus and learn in school.
Professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau, chair of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, said the test can give students goals and an opportunity to measure their progress.
“You learn a lot about yourself when something is hard, and you choose to keep going. Then you come back, beat your own mark, and realize you can do more than you thought,” DeChambeau said. “That’s how confidence is built. You learn to trust yourself, and that belief carries far beyond sports.”
Paul “Triple H” Levesque, vice chair of the President’s Council, also promoted the initiative and the council’s “Get Active” campaign.
“Throughout my life, I’ve learned that physical discipline builds far more than strength — it builds character, confidence and resilience,” Levesque added.
Admiral Brian Christine, M.D., assistant secretary for health, said the challenge is intended to make fitness about more than test scores.
“Fitness should be about more than a score,” Christine said. “It should be about helping young people discover what they are capable of, setting goals, working hard, and coming back stronger.”
Registration Deadline Set For February
Organizations participating in the challenge must register, administer, or implement the Presidential Fitness Test with students and submit their entries by February 5, 2027.
Winners are expected to be announced in spring 2027.
Participants will also be invited to join a community of practice where organizations can share ideas, lessons learned, and approaches to youth fitness.
Additional information about eligibility, registration, submission requirements, and contest rules is available through Fitness.gov.
Provided by Dallas Express
