Background
Henry Hoskins, ROI’s president and co-founder, resided across the street from Graham Elementary & Middle School (GEMS) on 16th Ave as a member of the OSU chapter of the Evans Scholars, a group of recipients of a need-based scholarship for golf caddies. As a freshman missing the camaraderie and excitement of high school track and cross-country, he worked with GEMS to found a running club for its middle schoolers in March of 2023 to pay it forward to the next generation. The sport had shaped his life—he began running in the third grade to lose weight, but ultimately found it to be a setting in which to clear the mind, test one’s limits, and do so within a tight-knit community. Its bolstering of confidence, work ethic, and self-motivation translated to the classroom as well, and he thus saw an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate through introducing them to this sport of running, the most accessible one in the world, which they could participate in for the rest of their lives.
Coaching efforts, with the incredibly generous help of GEMS faculty Olivia Frishkorn, were successful, with warmups and stretches preventing injury, running workouts significantly improving fitness, and games developing each athlete’s competitive drive. However, given the underprivileged backgrounds of these students, many’s best choice for running footwear was Crocs or none at all, as their basketball shoes or sneakers consistently led to blisters and soreness. As philanthropy chair of the Evans Scholars, Henry led a variety of fundraisers, including pie-in-the-face events, hotdog grill sales, and putting challenges, none of which would have been possible without the indispensable support of the Evans Scholars, who brought the energy, passion, and selflessness necessary to make these events a success. And they were indeed, as these efforts allowed for the purchase of brand new running shoes and race entry fees for the McConnell Heart Health 5K for each athlete. After only seven weeks of training, every running club member was able to finish the full 3.125-mile race.
Returning in September for a fall season, the GEMS program now benefitted from a larger coaching staff including Chrys Cruise of GEMS, Owen Murray (future ROI head coach), Henry Simon (future ROI vice president), along with a rotating constituent of volunteering Evans Scholars. This collaborative effort allowed for a larger group of athletes to participate, which was supported by continued efforts from Evans Scholars philanthropy, again raising funds for new running shoes and 5K race entry fees for each athlete. And once again, every member finished the Halloween-themed Spooky Sprint 5K, with one, Kendra, even winning her age group.
Deeply grateful for his fun and fulfilling experiences in coaching and his collaborative and bond-forming experiences in fundraising, Henry sought to form an organization which could last long into the future, expand to more schools, and benefit from a broader array of resources. The Running Outreach Initiative was born as an Ohio State student organization in November of 2023, and it gained non-profit status in January of 2024. It has since founded another local running program and can be found year-round across Ohio State’s campus and surrounding areas training its athletes to achieve their goals and more, hosting fundraisers which engage the OSU community, putting on races which benefit participating local schools, and forming lasting memories and relationships out of what is both a grueling and incredibly rewarding sport.
Given the significant contribution from the Evans Scholars to the foundation of this organization, a close relationship with the chapter has been maintained. The Scholars frequently volunteer across the street as GEMS assistant coaches and collaborate with ROI on various fundraisers.
