Based in Indianapolis, USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long distance running, and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the number one high school and junior high school participatory sport, and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States. USATF’s signature youth activity program with our partner, The Hershey Company. RunJumpThrow (RJT) is a hands-on learning program that gets kids excited about physical activity by introducing them to basic running, jumping and throwing skills through track and field – the foundation of all sport. Working in partnership with SHAPE America, the curriculum is designed to be accessible to all children, regardless of athletic ability or fitness level. RunJumpThrow is a crucial part of USATF’s evolution to help improve the lives of young people, regardless of whether or not they are competitive athletes. Getting active is the first step toward getting fit. By focusing on the activity and taking joy in movement, the goal of RJT is to help instill a love of movement in children and to provide a starting point for what we hope will be a lifetime of healthy, physical activity.
While most of you know Hershey for iconic brands like Hershey’s, Reese’s and Twizzlers, the company was founded with an enduring social mission to support the development of children. One of the cornerstones of Hershey’s commitment in the development of youth has been the partnership with USATF. The RunJumpThrow program expands access to the sport of track and field for kids ages 7-12. Hershey values programs that provide opportunities for kids to learn by doing and the RJT program is an innovative way to extend their values around the long-standing commitment to introduce kids to basic running, jumping and throwing skills for a lifetime of activity.