Lt. Governor Jim Tressel is calling on Ohio's business community to support the more than 655,000 students participating in the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge by partnering with local schools and providing incentives that recognize effort and celebrate progress.

"Ohio businesses can make a meaningful difference in their local schools by joining the team and giving students one more reason to keep working toward their goals," Tressel said. "When a community rallies arounds its young people, it sends a powerful message that their health, growth, and future matter."

Businesses can find participating schools in their area at TeamTressel.Ohio.gov and contact them directly to explore how best to support students. Schools are encouraged to identify incentives that align with their policies and meet students' needs. Businesses of every size can play a role, and no contribution is too small to make a difference.

Examples of support include coupons or gift cards for healthy meals, activities, or local experiences; tickets or admission to sporting events, museums, parks, and other attractions; fitness-related items such as water bottles, jump ropes, exercise bands, or sports equipment; recognition for students who achieve bronze, silver, or gold medals; and rewards for classrooms or schools that reach participation milestones.

Businesses interested in a broader investment can support students across a region or throughout Ohio by contacting Haylee.Dunahay@governor.ohio.gov.

Nearly 2,200 schools across all 88 Ohio counties are participating in the fall 2026 Challenge, which runs through December 4. The program has grown from 183,000 students during its first round in 2025 to more than 655,000 students this fall.

"The habits Ohio students build today – including showing up, setting goals, and pushing through when it's hard - are the same ones employers look for tomorrow," said Steve Stivers, President and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. "The Ohio Chamber proudly supports Team Tressel, and we encourage employers of every size, and our partners at local chambers across the state, to find a school in their community and get in the game."

Ryan Augsburger, President of the Ohio Manufacturers' Association, said, "If Ohio's students are willing to put in the work, the rest of us ought to be willing to stand behind them."