The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Thursday a $10 million nationwide challenge to increase participation in the Presidential Fitness Test among U.S. schools. The Presidential Fitness School Innovation Challenge will allocate $7 million in prizes to schools, districts, and youth-serving organizations that demonstrate innovative ways to implement the test. An additional $3 million in awards and vouchers will be provided for fitness or sports equipment.
The initiative follows President Donald Trump’s 2023 executive order to revive the Presidential Fitness Test, which had been discontinued in most public schools. While only 161 schools on U.S. military installations are currently required to administer the test, the HHS aims to expand its reach through this voluntary competition.
Organizations may apply for funding starting Thursday via a new federal website, Fitness.gov. Submissions will be accepted until February, with winners expected to be announced in spring 2025. The test itself includes exercises such as a one-mile run, curl-ups, planks, push-ups, pull-ups, and shuttle runs, with participants evaluated against age- and sex-specific benchmarks.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. framed the effort as part of a broader push to address what he describes as an “epidemic” of chronic disease and obesity among children. Kennedy, who frequently shares workout content on social media, has emphasized reversing these trends through increased physical activity. The initiative aligns with other Trump administration priorities, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent tightening of fitness standards for military personnel. Last year, Kennedy and Hegseth publicly challenged each other to push-up and pull-up competitions in a Defense Department video.
The Presidential Fitness Test was a longstanding tradition in U.S. public schools before its discontinuation, measuring students’ cardiovascular health and muscular strength. Under the revived program, children compete for awards by meeting performance thresholds, such as completing a mile run in under 10 minutes for their age group.