I am writing to urge your support for the Bowling Green City Schools levy.
From my experience working at BGSU and in the city schools, I have seen firsthand what a difference extracurricular activities make. I also saw it in my daughter, a graduate of BGHS. But we are in peril of losing a vital part of students’ experiences if the levy does not pass. This is where students make their closest friends – the ones who make them want to go to school every day. This is where they learn teamwork, develop confidence, and build skills that will last them into future jobs and beyond. They do this through sports, music, theater, DECA, FFA, Model UN, StuCrew and more. The opportunity for extracurricular activities starts in elementary school with options like Kiwanis Builders Club for community service, and Girls on the Run, continues through middle school, and expands through students’ high school years. Students will lose so many opportunities if the levy fail. The loss of these activities will also make our students less competitive on college or employment applications.
The community will also lose if the levy fails. Think of the many ways our schools benefit the community. There would be:
- No Friday night football games, and all that goes with them – cheerleaders, marching band, concessions, the cheering crowd, the Friday night lights.
- No marching band in the Holiday Parade, leading Santa down Main St.
- No spring musical or other theater productions, to entertain us and impress us with their talents.
- No Model UN trips for competitions.
- No meetings or rehearsals at the schools for groups like the Community Band or the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.
- No other sports – no hockey, basketball, cross country, track, volleyball, baseball, softball etc.
- No choir, band or orchestra concerts.
Want more reasons? Look at the letters written by current students, such as Calla Higgins, Avery Schetter, and Lauren Carney.
Please support our students and give them the best opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Vote YES on the levy by voting now in early voting, or at the polls on May 6.
Gale Swanka
Bowling Green
