WVA Cross Country Team and AllKidsBike Programs Launched

West Virginia Academy hit two key milestones this week by achieving its fundraising goal for an AllKidsBike.org Kindergarten program and by launching its secondary school cross country team. These key programs align directly with the charter school's focus on athletics that contribute to a lifetime of physical fitness in an effort to combat childhood and adulthood obesity. The charter school will field both traditional competitive sports teams as well as innovative outdoor sports programs and intramural sports.

Over half of the funding for the AllKidsBike.org program came from a generous donation by Nesha Sanghavi, the owner and president of sports apparel companies UG Apparel and Chicka-d. Nesha has deep ties to West Virginia where she completed her primary, secondary, and higher education. Additional funding was provided by a VELA microgrant and several other generous donations. The program will ensure that all children at West Virginia Academy know how to ride a bike and will provide a foundation for children in older grades to participate in BMX-style biking, gear biking, and mountain biking programs. Children in older grades that have not yet learned to ride a bike will also have the opportunity to learn during physical education classes and other special programs.

West Virginia Academy is also announcing its competitive boys and girls Cross Country teams (for incoming 6th grade students and older). The program will be lead by Katie White, who previously coached the Mountaineer Middle School team. Summer workouts begin in mid June. Admitted students who wish to participate must complete a physical and the required forms that are available on the academy's competitive sports page prior to beginning workouts. Interested students should check the team website for more details and to sign up to receive notifications. The required forms can be submitted at our office at any time that registration and assessments are being conducted.